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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29321448">If you’re going my way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreTheLuckyOnes/pseuds/WeAreTheLuckyOnes'>WeAreTheLuckyOnes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, BPD Related Episodes of Anger, Bisexual Benny Laffite, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Blowjobs, Borderline Personality Disorder, Brief Sexist and Racist Language, Come Eating, Explicit Sexual Content, Gay Castiel, Intercrural Sex, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, M/M, Manic Episodes, Mentions of Past Abuse (Emotional and Verbal), Mentions of a Forced Outing, Multi, Romance, handjobs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:06:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>42,872</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29321448</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreTheLuckyOnes/pseuds/WeAreTheLuckyOnes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean's life is pretty simple – he lives in a small town, he has a great relationship with his brother and his brother's family, he has two jobs (though one he only does because he loves it), and he regularly has pretty awesome sex with his boss, Benny. When an old high school peer, someone who shaped a lot of Dean's late teens, returns to town following his mother's death, Dean feels drawn to him, and he isn't alone. Castiel helps Dean and Benny face things they've been avoiding for years, and the three begin a relationship (with a few bumps along the way). But will it survive with Castiel's departure looming on the horizon?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benny Lafitte/Dean Winchester, Castiel/Benny Lafitte, Castiel/Benny Lafitte/Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, background Sam Winchester/Eileen Leahy - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Destiny Big Bang</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. </p><p>All the love to my betas Candy, Kitti and regnunveritatus who did an amazing job dealing with my absolute insanity, and wide range of spelling and grammatical errors. Thank you so much guys!</p><p>And a ginormous thanks to my artist, lotrspnfangirl for her amazing edits, and also for dealing with my neuroticism. Thank you so much for everything Dani &lt;3.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
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</div>Despite the bad weather and Baby sitting in the back of the garage, Dean decides to walk the ten minutes to the Roadhouse after he's closed up shop. He needs the ten minutes to calm down after waiting half an hour after closing for an asshole who was two hours late to pick up his car after a service. He really wanted to close up and make the man wait until tomorrow. Bobby had made Dean stay though, just so he could give the man a life ban starting tomorrow without getting the cops involved when the man did <em>finally</em> show up for his shitty Prius.<p>The man's attitude had made the entire situation entirely worse, and Dean had come close a few times to socking him in the eye. He'd tried to dispute Dean's price (which Dean had admittedly hiked up as payback) and then had accused Dean of putting a scratch on the door (the scratch that Dean had offered to fix when he came in the week before). When he'd finally left, Dean had screamed into the empty garage before going through closing.</p>
<p>He had texted Benny to let him know he'd be late, and as always, Benny was teasing, but completely understanding. He doesn't ask him to meet him in the backroom to help him release the anger before he works, cause he knows Benny will say yes, then get all pissy about Dean being <em>distracting</em> later, despite deciding it would most definitely be worth it. </p>
<p>He's just climbed over the concrete curb in the Roadhouse parking lot, stumbling a bit when his foot hits it and hoping no one's outside to see it, when something catches his eye. It's the most hideous car he's ever seen in his life - a gold Lincoln Continental. Dean would bet good money he'd find hydraulics on her if he looked underneath. He's never seen it before, and he's worked on just about every car in this tiny shitty town, and the broader county, especially the classics (he's still trying to get Jonson to sell him his Thunderbird before he croaks). He stares it for longer than necessary, then stumbles his way into the bar, through the substantial crowd and to the bar where Benny waits for him. </p>
<p>"Benny, man, there is a hideous Continental outside and I love it," Dean announces, dropping his bag and jacket in the cupboard under the bar, kicking the door shut with the toe of his boot. He takes his apron from the hook next to the drink shelves and ties it around his waist. "It would be totally illegal if I stole it and took it for a joyride, right? I want to see if she has hydraulics."</p>
<p>Benny's amused, eyes wrinkled, and when he opens his mouth to speak he's interrupted by the man across the bar who's sitting on one of the stool's nursing a tumbler of dark liquid. "I'd really prefer you didn't. And I had the hydraulics removed when my brother gave it to me."</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
</div>Dean looks over at the man, the icy-blue of his eyes and the mop of dark brown hair, a dark shadow of stubble over his jaw. He's wearing an ill fitting black suit with his tie done the wrong way, a trench coat thrown over the back of his chair. He's also unbearably good looking and Dean's brain short circuits for a moment before he finally says, "Dude, your car is so ugly she somehow circles back to beautiful. You should've kept the hydraulics, would've been perfect. Oh, and painted her black!"<p>The man gives him a strange look, and Benny steps in to save him before he digs himself a hole. "Ignore him, he's a dick and he's manic. He's gonna go check and see if your order's ready yet." </p>
<p>Benny shoots Dean a look and he rolls his eyes in reply. "What is it, then?" Benny relays the order - a chicken burger with onion rings on the side - and he goes to the kitchen window to lean in and pester Charlie. "Hey big red, miss me?"</p>
<p>"You're late," Charlie tells him, like he doesn't already know, her back to him while she leans over a huge pot on the stove that smells like Benny's special gumbo. "Benny ought to fire you."</p>
<p>"You know he'd never do that, he likes me too much. I know you do too." When Charlie does finally turn to look at him, she's got the stupidest grin on her face, and she's rolling her eyes at him. "I love you too by the way, and I'm still heartbroken that you won't elope with me and run away to California."</p>
<p>Charlie rolls her eyes again and leans over to press her lips to his in a quick greeting, red curls bouncing over her shoulders as she rolls back onto her heels. "I would love nothing more, unfortunately you don't own the right equipment, and you're much too high maintenance for me."</p>
<p>"Hey! I'm not a car! Bring me the chicken burger and onion rings, you wench!" </p>
<p>One of Charlie's perfectly sculpted eyebrows shoots up towards her hairline. "You in a mood, huh, honey?" Kaia, who must have overheard what Dean was looking for, leans over Charlie to put the plate on the window counter. </p>
<p>"What a slanderous accusation!" Dean takes the plate and walks it over to where the man sits, settling it on the bar in front of him. He has a strange look on his face, like he's trying to figure Dean out, but it clears almost as soon as Dean sees it. He thanks Dean and settles the plate where he wants it, a little closer to himself than where Dean put it. "Any sauce? Tabasco, ketchup, aioli?"</p>
<p>The man shakes his head and picks up an onion ring, eating it with all the vigor of a starved man. Dean shakes his head and turns around to serve a woman farther down the bar before going back to Charlie and leaning into the window to whisper conspiratorially to her. "What's with the tax accountant?"</p>
<p>Charlie gives him a blank look. "You mean Castiel Novak?"</p>
<p>"Who?"</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes at him and doesn't answer, going back to serving four bowls of gumbo.</p>
<p>The name sounds vaguely familiar, but Dean can't place it. And now that he thinks about it, the man's face also looks familiar. There's something about the blue eyes that reminds Dean of someone he used to know. Rather than dwell on it, he goes back to work, taking a kitchen bucket over to an empty table covered in empty dishes, hoping it'll come to him eventually. </p>
<p>The monotony of the job helps calm his frayed nerves and jumbled emotions better than the walk had, and he's feeling a bit more his normal self when he finally recognises the name. He scuttles into the kitchen, around the others rushing inside of it and steps up beside Charlie.</p>
<p>"Wasn't Castiel Novak the high school kid who got forcibly outed and publicly kicked out when we were in high school?" </p>
<p>"Yes," Charlie confirms, nodding her head. She's concentrating on the saucepan in front of her, the milk inside just beginning to bubble, and Dean's about to leave so he doesn't interrupt her when she says, "He was Naomi Oksana's kid."</p>
<p>"That crazy old bitch? Jesus," He replies. "Where has he been? And why the hell is he back?"</p>
<p>Charlie shoots him a look, "Hell if I know Dean, he only just got here, go ask him yourself."</p>
<p>He doesn't ask Castiel, he deems it too embarrassing and forward, and instead he sidles up to Benny as he's pouring a tube of quarters into the till tray. "Continental, he say anything to you?"</p>
<p>Benny's eyes narrow. "Why?"</p>
<p>"Cause he used to live here and he's been gone for like, twenty years. And I'm curious where he's been and why he's back?"</p>
<p>"You're being nosy, cher," Benny decides, nodding his head and pushing the tray shut until it clicks, throwing the cardboard tube in the trash under the counter. "Why do you care so much?"</p>
<p>Dean shrugs. He's perpetually nosy and also wants to know about the guy who made Dean decide to admit his sexuality to his father rather than be outed against his will, and face the consequences. Also, Castiel's hot as fuck, definitely gay and quite possibly available, and Dean's not one to let that lie. "Just tell me."</p>
<p>Benny sighs, longsuffering, and takes the tray of clean glasses from the kitchen window, handing it to Dean to stack. "He said he was here for a funeral, and that's it. He also didn't seem too sad about the funeral, so he probably didn't care too much about who it was for."</p>
<p>Dean can't think of anyone local who's died recently off the top of his head, except he doesn't think he's seen Castiel's crazy bitch mom, either, and he doesn't think Castiel would come back here for anything less. He makes sure Benny's not watching him and texts Rufus, though he's not one hundred percent sure the man'll answer. He rarely does. </p>
<p>
  <em>hey, you had a naomi oksana come through?</em>
</p>
<p>Rufus does reply, which is a surprise, and pretty quickly too, which is a fucking miracle. He's fucking useless, though, cause all he says is <em>boy, you owe me a blue label</em> (which, to be fair, Dean does).</p>
<p>Dean leaves it for the rest of the night and puts a reminder in his phone to pick up some blue label, because at least then Rufus will be more likely to tell him. Castiel leaves around ten after he's eaten and cradled three more whiskey and cokes for at least half an hour each, and Dean cheerily wishes him a goodbye, which he gets a strange look for.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
</div>Dean grabs a Johnnie Walker Blue Label from the liquor store during his break the next day and takes it to the station, waving a greeting at Jodie and Donna as he passes them for the lift down into the basement. A wave of decay and medical grade disinfectant assaults him as soon as the doors begin to open and he wants to pat himself on the back when he only gags a little. There's an intercom and a keypad at the next set of doors, and Dean doesn't know the code (he's not allowed to have it anymore after he used it to prank Rufus) so he presses the button that turns on the intercom's speaker and speaks.<p>"Oi, old man, I brought you alcohol."</p>
<p>The doors begin to slide in automatically after only a few seconds and Dean steps through. The smell is worse in here, and Dean breathes in and out through his mouth in hopes it'll help the nausea settling in the pit of his gut. </p>
<p>Rufus is leaning over an old man's body and while Dean has never met him, he suspects he's the man who died in the nursing home overnight, Mark something. "What do you want?"</p>
<p>"Information?" Dean replies, settling the bottle on Rufus's desk, careful not to touch anything and to keep as far away from the tools and tables as possible. He learnt that lesson a long time ago after spending hours scrubbing the place clean after he touched <em>one</em> tool.</p>
<p>"Naomi Oksana? What about her?"</p>
<p>"Is she dead?" Dean asks, taking a closer peek at where Rufus has the man's chest open, still careful not to get too close, before deciding he can't take it and sitting in the man's desk chair. He's really not good with this kind of shit. </p>
<p>"Two weeks ago, why?" Rufus looks up at him and pulls his bloody glove covered hand from the body. Dean makes a face. "You bein' nosy again, boy?"</p>
<p>"No. Her son's back, I'm just curious."</p>
<p>Rufus tilts his head and narrows his eyes. He would look intimidating if Dean hadn't seen him on Bobby's couch every Sunday for the last twenty years drunk as a skunk and crying like a big baby at literally everything. Dean loves Rufus like an uncle but god does he repress his emotions worse than Dean and his dad used to, combined. "He was in here this morning looking for the death certificate and a cause of death. He also wanted to know where your brother set up shop."</p>
<p>"Oh," Dean says, nodding his head in understanding. Figures Castiel would want to settle his mother's estate while he's here for the funeral. "Did you see his horrible car? He has a Continental, Rufus, a <em>Continental</em>. And it's <em>gold</em>."</p>
<p>Rufus appreciates a good car as much as Dean does, he's the one who helped Dean with Baby while John was off his face, and after he was dead, when Bobby was too busy with the shop. He's also promised to leave Dean the Monaro he shipped over from Australia when he dies, but he's survived a war, three gunshot wounds and cancer, and Dean's pretty convinced now that the man is immortal and he's never going to die. </p>
<p>Rufus makes a face and says, "Pimpmobile," which cracks Dean up for a solid minute. "Appreciate you finally bringing my scotch. Now get lost, I'm busy."</p>
<p>Dean flips him the finger as he leaves, taking the lift back up to the station. Donna has disappeared when he gets there, but Jodie's still sitting at her desk and he waves at her as he leaves. He takes the route past his brother's office back to the shop and sees the Continental sitting in one of the parking spots out front. Eileen's just leaving and he catches up to her, waving to get her attention. She's got Mary tucked into the crook of her arm and she hands the tiny baby over to him without him having to ask. She walks towards the shop with him.</p>
<p>It's hard to sign with only one hand free, so he catches her eye and says, "You guys still coming over for dinner tonight?" Mary's been teething like crazy and absolutely inconsolable, and Dean's been prepared for them to cancel, surprised they haven't done so yet.</p>
<p>"Yeah, think so. She's been better, I think the teeth broke through."</p>
<p>Dean loves babies, don't get him wrong, but he's also pretty sure he'll never have any of his own. His sleep schedule is shitty on it's own and he remembers how awful he felt when he had Deanna over when she was little and he could never get her to stop crying. It absolutely broke his heart. Mary's a far calmer baby than Deanna ever was, even at ten weeks old, but she got knocked over by early tooth growth and she's been crying every time he's seen her over the last week.</p>
<p>"Awesome, I wanted to show Dee the new record I got," Dean tells Eileen, pulling the blanket over Mary down a little so he can tickle her chin until she smiles big, wide and toothless at him. Deanna's taken after Dean, which amuses him to no end, and every time she comes to his house she makes him put a record, a tape or a CD on that she hasn't heard before and he thinks she might like. If she likes it, she then makes him find the album on iTunes and put it on the iPad he got her for her tenth birthday. He whines to Sam and Eileen about the wrongness of it all, but he always does it. He found an old Foreigner online in amazing condition for something that was first sold in 1977, and he's already shown it to her (she loves <em>Cold As Ice</em>), but she's never heard it on Vinyl before. He never thought he'd have so much in common with a thirteen year old and sometimes it's extremely disconcerting. Other times they sit in his lounge room listening to Zeppelin on repeat for three hours while Eileen and Sam make the dinner Dean was supposed to make until Sam throws something at Dean. "Oh, and before I forget, Benny's coming to Thanksgiving." Eileen shoots him a look and Dean pokes his tongue out at her. "Not like that. Elizabeth's in Baton Rouge with her mom this year, I didn't want him to stay home by himself and mope."</p>
<p>Eileen nods, "Yes, it's annoying when he mopes."</p>
<p>They turn onto the street where Bobby's garage sits and Dean stops her with a hand on her wrist. "Hey, did you see the guy in with Sam?"</p>
<p>She side-eyes him, and Dean really wishes they would all stop looking at him like that. "Sam told me about it last week. He got an email from Castiel telling Sam he was coming. Sam also told me about what happened to him when you were in high school. Did anyone ever figure out who told his mother?"</p>
<p>Dean shakes his head solemnly, though he knew a lot of his classmates suspected him. He was a bag of dicks in high school, though that he would've never done. Would've been a bit hypocritical of him. "They suspected me, but I suspected Meg. I think she was pissed off that he wouldn't sleep with her."</p>
<p>Eileen nods again, a thoughtful look on her face. "Sam said you told John you were bisexual a week after he left, he always thought it was because of Castiel." Dean shrugs noncommittally, but Eileen nods again, like she's taken his shrug as his confirmation. They've talked about Dean's confession to John a lot (fuck Sam for marrying a therapist), but he's never told her about deciding he had to do it then, because if he didn't, he never would. John hadn't taken it well, but he'd been drunk enough that Dean easily took him in the fight he tried to start. "I think you should tell him, you know, catharsis for the both of you."</p>
<p>"That would be totally weird and you know it," Dean tells her, rolling his eyes and kissing Mary's forehead before handing her back over to Eileen. He kisses Eileen's cheek and signs, "I love you asshole, I'll see you tonight."</p>
<p>When he turns around to head back to work Castiel's Continental is sitting in the driveway of the Bed and Breakfast to his left, six buildings down from the shop. He hadn't even heard the car pull up. Castiel's staring at him, but he looks away when Dean smiles at him and waves politely. Well.</p>
<p>Dean turns back towards the road and walks towards the garage, rolling his eyes when he's sure Castiel wont see it.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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</div>Deanna begs to stay at Dean's that night, so Dean has to take her to school before work the next morning (though she begs him to let her walk herself). She has a bad habit of leaving a pile of clothes at his house every time she visits (which he always cleans for her, without being asked, isn't he a nice uncle?), so Sam hadn't had to come back to bring her clothes. She uses the shower and dresses while he makes her lunch from what's left of the pasta bake from the night before, a cheese and chutney sandwich (he still can't understand why she likes them) and one of his mango yogurt tubs (though he makes a big deal out of it when she appears in the kitchen).<p>The K-12 is a few streets south of Dean's house and not even a ten minute walk, and she animatedly tells him about the field trip they took to ZooMontana for her science class the week before. She's already told him at least three times that the tigers and the wolves were her favourite, and she's also told him every fact she knows about them, but he doesn't tell her that, listening animatedly. Dean's reminded of what else sits on the same street as the school when he sees the Continental parked outside the house on the corner. </p>
<p>The car catches Deanna's eye and she turns to him and asks, "Do you know that one?" Good taste in music isn't the only thing she got from him.</p>
<p>"Lincoln Continental. 1978 I think."</p>
<p>She turns thoughtful, nodding her head. "It would look better in black."</p>
<p>Dean cackles. "That's what I thought!" He watches Castiel exit the house with two huge boxes, stacked on top of each other, and he's struggling, so he says to Deanna, "Head to school, I'm just gonna go help him." She nods again and reaches up on the tips of her toes to press a slobbery kiss to his cheek before bolting up the street. He turns back to Castiel and calls out, "Hey man, need help?"</p>
<p>Castiel's face shoots up and he loses his hold on the boxes, the one on top crashing to the ground and flying open, leaving a pile of clothes on the path.</p>
<p>"Shit," Dean rushes over to help him, kneeling down to stuff the clothes back into the box while Castiel stares at him in utter confusion. "Sorry about that, man. I didn't mean to startle you."</p>
<p>"It's okay," Castiel says slowly, placing the other box on the ground so he can help Dean shove everything back into the one Dean caused him to drop. "Thanks."</p>
<p>Once the box is full once again Castiel lets Dean help him get it into the trunk of his car. "Hey, I'm sorry about your mom by the way."</p>
<p>Castiel shoots him a look and mumbles, "Don't be, she was a horrible bitch."</p>
<p>Dean doesn't want to agree with him, because you should never speak ill of the dead, except she threw a brick at him once because he was walking past her gate holding another man's hand. She also spat on him when they were in the same aisle at the grocery store and he was wearing the <em>bisexual, but still not into you</em> tee that Sam got him one year for Pride. She really was a horrible bitch. </p>
<p>Dean really doesn't know what to say to that, so instead, he says, "You staying in town for long?"</p>
<p>Castiel doesn't reply for a long time, tapping his finger on the top of the car. He lets out a short breath and says, "What's going on here?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>Castiel makes a face at him and Dean tilts his head to the side, confused. "I know you told my mother I was gay in high school and I want to make it clear that I haven't forgiven you for it."</p>
<p>Dean throws his hands in the air and groans. "Twenty years, for God's sake. I didn't tell her, Castiel, would've been a little fucking hypocritical of me. I was a dick, but I wasn't a homophobic dick." Castiel grimaces and Dean can tell he doesn't believe him. "Dude, you're the reason I came out to my dad. Who the fuck told you I told your mom?"</p>
<p>Castiel frowns. "Meg."</p>
<p>Dean grunts angrily and squeezes his hands into fists, throwing his hands in the air again. "I'm gonna wring that bitch's neck. You know she's probably the one who did it right? Because you wouldn't sleep with her?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean I was the reason you came out?"</p>
<p>Dean rubs at his eyes with his fists. "I figured John couldn't have done anything worse than your mom did, especially if he was pissed, so I told him I was bisexual. He tried to beat me but he was so drunk he was out with one punch. I would never out someone like that, cause the thought of being outed to my dad before I could choose the situation was terrifying." Dean's hand slides to the back of his neck and he rubs it nervously. "I am sorry about being a dick though, I was going through some shit and I took it out on you, and others, and it wasn't fair."</p>
<p>Castiel looks confused, and he doesn't speak for a long time. "You're very different. I didn't think people could change as much as you seem to have. I accept your apology."</p>
<p>Dean smiles brightly, "Awesome, thank you. Anyway, <em>now</em> can I ask you if you're staying in town long and what you've been doing for the last twenty years?"</p>
<p>Castiel laughs, a deep rumble from within his chest that sounds a bit like how honey tastes, and he says, "Yeah, alright. I'm staying long enough to pack up the house and sell it, but the more I look at it, the more I realise how much work it needs."</p>
<p>"I'll give you Hael's number, she and her husband do basically everything around here that we can't do ourselves."</p>
<p>"Thank you. And as for what I've been doing for the last twenty years?" Dean nods his head so Castiel knows he wants to hear it. "Well, I found my father and my half-siblings in Illinois, got a degree in paleontology, got married, had kids, got divorced, became a professor in paleontology… that's about it."</p>
<p>"First of all," Dean says, "Dinosaurs, I love it. Second of all, sorry about the divorce. Third of all, you have kids?"</p>
<p>Castiel's face softens and he nods his head. "Yeah, Claire's eighteen and Jack's fifteen. And the girl you were walking with, your daughter?"</p>
<p>Dean shakes his head. "Nah, my niece Deanna- yeah, I know, my brother thought he was being funny. Joke’s on him, she's my carbon copy. I have another niece, Mary, she's ten weeks, and a niece by association, Elizabeth, she's twenty. Benny, you know the big guy at the bar who looks like he fell out of nineteen-ten? His kid."</p>
<p>"Oh and don't be sorry about the divorce, he was worse than my mother."</p>
<p>Dean grimaces and says, "I get that. Hey, I gotta run to work, but if you need any help with the house," he reaches into his pocket for his wallet and pulls out the receipt for the gas after work the night before. "You got a pen?" Castiel opens the passenger door with a creak and leans in to pull open the glovebox, searching for a pen. Dean tries not to stare at his ass for longer than is polite but it is <em>unnecessarily</em> nice. When Castiel comes back with the pen Dean writes his number on the receipt and hands it over. "Here you go."</p>
<p>Castiel smiles gently and takes it, cradling it in his hand. "Thank you."</p>
<p>"You're welcome, see you later, Cas." Dean waves goodbye and just catches the confused look on Castiel's face before he turns the corner and he disappears from sight.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning for NSFW fanart &amp; written content.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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</div>Dean's in a foul mood when he gets to the bar in the late afternoon, late again because the bastard with the shitty Prius had tried to bring it into the shop. He'd wanted Dean to fix the scratch (which had somehow doubled in size and become a dent) and at Bobby's insistence, he'd had to get Jody and Donna involved.<p>This time, when he'd texted Benny about being late he hadn't worried about the consequences and told the other man to meet him in the office when he got there. Benny had agreed easily, not that Dean had expected anything less.</p><p>He takes Baby this time, and parks her round the back, letting himself in the back door with the key on his key chain, locking it behind him.</p><p>Benny's waiting, like he promised, and Dean goes to rant about the shitty man with the shitty Prius, but Benny stops him. He takes him by the shoulders and presses him up against the closed door of the office, pressing his mouth to Dean's urgently. Dean fists his hands in Benny's henley and tries to pull the thing up over the man's head only to be stopped by his stupid suspenders. </p><p>Dean expects Benny to put up an argument about fucking at work, but he says nothing as Dean shoves the suspenders off of his shoulders and untucking his shirt from his pants, pulling it from his body. Benny has either not realised that Dean's intention is to get his dick in Benny (or vice versa, whichever one is faster), or he does know and he wants it enough to ignore his normal anti-sex-at-work logic. Dean takes the opportunity to remove his own jacket and shirt before tilting his face down again to take Benny's mouth again. </p><p>Benny, on the other hand, has other ideas, taking Dean's chin and tilting his head to the side so he can press his lips to the curve of Dean's throat. His stubble scrapes over Dean's throat and sends a shiver down his spine, an ache growing in the pit of his belly. Benny's mouth opens slowly and his teeth peek out from his lips, scraping along Dean's flesh behind the hair on his chin.</p><p>"Jesus fuck, Benny," Dean grunts, sliding his hand over the back of Benny's head to hold him in place. Benny's teeth are unnecessarily sharp, and Dean always worried that he'd break the skin one day, the way he always goes for Dean's neck. Not that Dean doesn't enjoy it immensely. Benny sinks his teeth into the flesh of Dean's throat, between the joint of his shoulder and his collarbone and sucks, dragging a groan from deep within Dean's chest. "Fucking hell, man."</p>
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</div>Benny, the bastard, looks smug when he pulls back. Dean's about to say something snarky when Benny drops to his knees in front of him and Dean loses all of his breath in one feel swoop. Dean presses himself back into the door and watches as the other man begins unbuckling his belt and pulling the zipper on his jean down. He still looks smug and Dean takes a moment to muse to himself how anyone can be this smug on their knees with a cock not even an inch from their face.<p>"You're a dick," he tells Benny, reaching down to stroking his fingers through the short dark hair on the man's head. He really wishes it was long enough to pull, damn Benny and his stupid short hair. As Benny is reaching his hand into the open vee of Dean's jeans and taking out his dick, Dean shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out the lube he took from the Impala's glove box. "While you're down there, do us a favour?"</p><p>Benny takes the bottle, rolling his eyes and says, "Jesus, cher, if I wasn't the big boss, we'd've been fired ten times over by now."</p><p>"Good thing you are then, huh?" </p><p>Benny rolls his eyes again and shoves Dean's jeans the rest of the way down his legs and off of one of his feet so he can hook one of Dean's knees over his shoulder. Dean watches as Benny slicks his fingers with the lube before leaning forward and taking the head of Dean's cock into his mouth. He gives Dean a moment to get used to the feel of his mouth before the first slick finger slides between his cheeks, the tip pressing against his hole. Benny's not all that good at the teasing, he tells Dean often it's because it's like teasing himself and he can handle that less. Dean has absolutely nothing against that at all, because it means they get to the fucking part quicker, and that is most definitely Dean's favourite. Don't get him wrong, blowjobs are nice, fingering is nice, really it's all <em>nice</em> but fucking? Untoppable - pun intended.</p><p>Benny has the benevolence to make it quick, though Dean's not sure if it's for his own benefit or Benny's. He spears Dean with one of his thick fingers, slick with lube, then two, and then three while he works his mouth over Dean's dick until Dean's sobbing out moans he has to hide behind his fist. When Benny decides he's ready he lowers Dean's foot back down onto the ground and looks back into the room behind him. Dean's about to ask him what the hell he's doing and why he hasn't gotten his dick into Dean yet when Benny climbs to his feet and takes Dean's wrist into his hand, pulling him towards the desk. It's clean, no paper stacked into messy piles and random items on top like every porn Dean's ever watched, which really is such a waste, he would've liked to have seen Benny swipe it off the desk before fucking him over it. Why he had to be a neat freak Dean will never know.</p><p>Benny shoves him up onto the edge of the desk and undoes his pants, reaching in to pull out his cock. He's about to pour the lube onto his cock when Dean says, "Hey, no, I am <em>not</em> working until two with your come leaking out of my ass, get a condom you dumbass."</p><p>Benny makes a face at him, then mumbles something under his breath that Dean can't hear before he reaches over the desk to pull open one of the drawers. While he's leant over Dean wiggles his hand into the back of his jeans to grasp at his ass, squeeze it in his hand. Benny chuckles and comes back with two condoms, and first, Dean thinks Benny's angling for two rounds, except no, he wouldn't do that, he has to <em>work</em>. It take a stupid amount of time for Dean to figure out Benny got it for Dean, for easier clean up. Guess he's not as stupid as he looks.</p><p>He must say it out loud because Benny reaches forward to pinch his hip before rolling the condom over Dean's cock. </p><p>"Ow, you know I'm not into pain," Dean tells him, poking his tongue out at the other man. Benny's slicking his cock with lube and Dean watches, feeling a bit breathless again. "C'mon Benny, fuck me."</p><p>Benny's cheeks flush and he steps up between the vee of Dean's legs, curling his arms under Dean's knees and pushing his legs up. It almost throws Dean off-balance and he has to shoot his hand out behind him quickly to hold himself up. He wraps his other arm around Benny's shoulders and holds onto him as the other man takes his cock and presses the head to Dean's hole, pushing it in slowly. </p><p>Dean lets out a long breath and presses his forehead to Benny's shoulder, watching as Benny slides home, his hips pressed to Dean's ass. </p><p>Before the first time Dean and Benny had sex, Dean figured Benny would fuck like he talked, slow and rough, like honey sliding down his throat. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Benny fucks like a goddamned maniac, bruises on Dean's hips in the shape of his fingertips, keeping Dean breathless as he rode him to the edge faster than anyone had ever gotten Dean there. Dean will never admit it to Benny, cause he's already got a big head, but he's most definitely the best sex Dean has ever had. </p><p>Dean can't do more than hold on as Benny fucks him (not that he minds), watching between them as Benny's cock slips in and out of his hole. His body feels like it's on fire and his dick is begging for attention, but he wants to wait until he's so close he can't hold on any longer before he reaches down to touch himself. Benny fits his face into Dean's throat and bites him again, this time in the junction between Dean's neck and shoulder, because he's a fucking vampire and he knows Dean fucking loves it.</p><p>"Jesus <em>fucking</em> Christ, Benny," Dean groans, his cock throbbing against his belly. He uses the hand around Benny's neck to shove the other man's face further into his throat, pulling at the short hairs on his head as much as he can until Benny groans. The vibrations of it send a wave of heat through his body and he clenches around Benny, which only makes him groan again, and endless cycle of bite and touch and groan and fuck. "Oh fuck."</p><p>"Touch your cock for me, cher, I wanna see you come." Neither of them are the most vocal in bed, but every goddamned time, without fail, Benny goes and says something like this, or something in French, and Dean loses all the higher brain function he had left. Dean grunts into Benny's neck and reaches down with the hand from Benny's hair, wrapping it around the base of his cock. "That's it."</p><p>Benny's been fucking Dean mere moments and Dean is going to come in seconds like a goddamned teenager, and he absolutely cannot find it in himself to care.</p><p>Benny's fingers dig harder into Dean's hips and he fucks his cock faster into Dean, deeper until Dean's prostate is so overstimulated he's sure if he took his hand away from his own dick he'd come just from that. It'd probably take him awhile, though, he's no spring chicken, and he really wants to come <em>now</em>. </p><p>"Fuck, Benny," Dean grunts, stroking his thumb over the head of his cock, shivering at the sensation. He's so fucking close to coming, his entire body feels like lightning. </p><p>Benny, the son of a bitch, comes first, thrusts becoming erratic and harder, going deeper until he stops and spills into Dean with a moan of Dean's name. At least, rather than standing there, fucked out and oversensitive like Dean's had some guys do, he pulls his cock out and shoves three of his fingers inside.</p><p>"Such a gentleman," Dean says with a weak choke of laughter, squeezing his body around Benny's fingers. The tips of Benny's thick fingers are jabbing into Dean's prostate, and despite how long he'd been waiting for it, Dean's orgasm still catches him by surprise. "Jesus <em>fuck</em>," he groans, back arched and face turned up towards the ceiling, his dick throbbing in his hand, spurting into the condom.</p><p>Benny leans up and presses his forehead to Dean's and they pant against each other's mouths as they come down from the high. Dean wants to collapse back onto the desk and sleep for a week, his hand shaking as it tries to hold the weight of his body up. He feels a bit like a puppet with its strings cut. </p><p>Dean surges up and presses a searing kiss to Benny's mouth before he gently pushes him back and says, "We should get dressed and back to work before the boss fires us."</p><p>Benny snorts and rolls his eyes, pulling his fingers from Dean's body and reaching down to roll the condom from his cock, tying it off at the end. Dean does the same and shoves it into Benny's outstretched and waiting hand before Benny puts them in the trash, covering them with papers so no one will see. </p><p>They dress in near silence (when they speak, it's because Dean threw Benny's shirt into an unknown corner of the room and Benny can't find it), and when they're done, Dean kisses Benny again and thanks him before making his way out of the room. He washes his hands in the bathroom before heading out to the bar, greeting Charlie with a cheery salute.</p><p>"Someone turn this shit off and put on some good music before my ears start to bleed!" He calls out over the thrum of some shitty country song about whiskey and girls he just knows his brother would love. He doesn't know who changes it, but suddenly <em>Immigrant Song</em> is replacing the country. Castiel is sitting at the bar, wide eyes on Dean, and his drink is almost empty, so Dean makes a beeline for him, giving him a smile before he says, "Hey, Cas, need another?"</p><p>Castiel's eyes fall from Dean's face and they go even wider. Fuck his neck probably looks like he took a bite from a dog. He takes a look in the mirrored wall between the shelves of alcohol and swears at the huge red bruises peeking out from his shirt.</p><p>"Benny, you motherfucker!" He can hear Benny laughing, and he might actually hate him. "Sorry, Cas. Another?"</p><p>"Uh," Castiel says, blinking owlishly. "Uh, yeah, thanks. Whiskey and coke."</p><p>Dean smiles at him. "You got it." Dean takes the Jack Daniels off the shelf and sets it on the counter, taking out a tumbler and filling the bottom with ice. When he's finished he sets in front of Cas and is about to head further down the bar to see if anyone needs anything when Castiel speaks.</p><p>"Are you poly?" He says it in a rush, like it fought its way out of his mouth, and he flushes a deep red afterwards. "Sorry, that was rude, I just… I mean, I remember you kissed the redhead in the kitchen."</p><p>Dean lets out a startled laugh. "Charlie? Don't got the right parts for that one, gayer than Ellen Degeneres. I am poly though, just not with her."</p><p>"Oh." Castiel nods, and he looks contemplative, so Dean leaves him to it. </p><p>Dean shoots Benny an unimpressed face as he passes him and the bastard snorts. "Pa boude, it's unbecoming."</p><p>Dean does not react to the French, because he's a goddamned adult and he isn't going to pop a boner. He's not going to let Benny and his stupid vampire teeth ruin his just-fucked glow. Fuck him.</p>
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</div>The next night, Dean gets a text from an unknown number as he's getting home from the garage with his dinner (from the only takeaway place in town besides <em>Laffite's</em> that does a strange mixture of just about ever Asian cuisine). His phone buzzes in his pocket and he leaves the food on the kitchen counter so he can see what it says.<p>
  <em>Was Benny here before I left? I don't remember him.</em>
</p><p>He saves the number into his phone under <em>Cas</em> before going back to answer the text. <em>nah, he's our transfer student from Louisiana, came over about ten years ago?</em></p><p>
  <em>oh okay</em>
</p><p>Dean waits for Castiel to say something else, but when he doesn't, he gets out a plate and cutlery, shoving piles of the pad thai, mee goreng and kway teow onto the plate. He takes his food and a beer to the lounge room and turns on the TV, flicking channels until he gets bored and turns it to Netflix to finish watching The Witcher.</p><p>Cas does reply eventually, almost twenty minutes later. <em>Are you and Benny dating?</em></p><p>Dean wipes his hand on his jeans and types out a reply. <em>no</em>, then after a moment's thought, <em>yes</em>. He finally settles on, <em>its complicated</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Isn't it always?</em>
</p><p>And ain't that the truth?</p><p><em>what are you up to?</em> </p><p>
  <em>Emails. Too many damned emails. I'm not even their teacher right now and they won't leave me alone. You?</em>
</p><p>Dean laughs and leans over to set his plate on the coffee table so that he can reply. <em>just got back from work. takeaway and netflix</em>.</p><p><em>What's on?</em> Castiel asks after a moment.</p><p><em>the witcher, you seen it?</em> Dean asks, taking a gulp of his beer before leaning over the table to shovel a forkful of food into his mouth. </p><p><em>Yes, my kids made me watch it.</em> Castiel replies, followed by the crying-laughing emoji. Dean hadn't taken Cas as an emoji kind of man and he finds it pretty damn funny. <em>Well, they made me watch the first episode, Joey Bateman made me stay.</em></p><p>Dean lets out a startled laugh. you too? i thought everyone was on the henry cavill train and it was just me thirsting after jaskier</p><p>
  <em>No, completely and irrevocably in love with him.</em>
</p><p><em>well youll have to fight me for him, and just so you know, im scrappy</em> Dean replies. He takes his mostly empty plate and his empty beer bottle into the kitchen and leaves his phone on the counter so he can pack away the food and put the trash in the can. </p><p>Castiel's reply comes after a while, and Dean can't help the hysterical laughter that bursts from him at the text. <em>I seem to remember you vomiting after making someone bleed when you punched them in tenth grade.</em></p><p>He's still laughing when he texts back, <em>i said i was scrappy, i never said that i wouldn't vomit afterwards</em>.</p><p>While he's waiting for Castiel to reply he takes himself off to the shower, leaving his phone on the sink as he gets his towel and a change of clothes. When he comes back, Castiel has replied.</p><p>
  <em>Are we in agreement that they missed a golden opportunity to make Geralt, Yennefer and Jaskier a polycule?</em>
</p><p>Dean laughs. <em>oh yeah, i mean its totally against the books, but artistic liberties couldve been taken, yknow?</em> Then, after he's turned the shower on he texts Castiel again, <em>i might not reply for a bit im just taking a shower</em>.</p><p>
  <em>No problem.</em>
</p><p>He has to wash his hair, because he didn't do it the last time he took a shower and his hair feels like it's glued together with gel and sweat and probably a little bit of grease, and it's disgusting. Sam would joke about Dean being a 3-in-1 kind of guy when they were in their twenties and he would buy Dean shampoos and conditioners because he was a shit. Dean will never tell him that he actually liked one of the brands he'd bought and he'd been using the same thing for ten years. Sam would act like an ass - Moreso than he already does.</p><p>When he's clean he shaves, dresses and goes back into the kitchen to get his medication and a glass of water, taking it to bed with him. His room is a mess; he can easily keep the rest of his house clean, but he never remembers to make his bed and he always leaves his clothes on the floor instead of putting them in the laundry basket <em>two feet away</em>. There's a jacket hanging over his bed, he'd planned to wear it that day but changed his mind and went with another, and he throws it over the back of the chair next to his bed despite how easy it would be to just <em>hang it up</em>.</p><p>He takes his medication and drinks half of the glass of water (God, he really hates drinking water, he doesn't understand why he can't take his medication with coffee, life would be so much easier) before checking his phone again. Castiel hasn't texted again, so Dean says, <em>anymore emails from students who don't realise you're taking a break?</em></p><p>Castiel's reply comes seconds later, and Dean bursts into laughter when he sees that it's only <em>UGGHHH</em>. Then a few seconds after that, Castiel texts <em>At least HALF of them are asking if I'm still holding the test on Friday. First years will be what kills me.</em></p><p>
  <em>we've got a new kid from the next town at the garage and i think i might tear my hair out, this kid is so fucking annoying</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The garage?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>technically im a mechanic and i work at bobbys garage. do you remember bobby? he used to be the history teacher, he was in an accident and lost his leg, decided on a career change. i work at lafitte's mostly cause it gives me something to do, but also because i tend to overspend on the internet, and the extra income doesn't hurt</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr Singer lost his leg?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>yeah, he has a prosthetic, i call him iron man, he hates it. at least eileen likes it when i call her hawkeye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eileen is…?</em>
</p><p><em>the woman my brother was smart enough to snatch up before she got wise to his dumbassery</em> Dean replies, then, <em>dark hair, short, i was with her and my youngest niece when i saw you at the bnb</em>. Before Castiel can reply, Dean then texts, <em>you said you found your dad and siblings?</em></p><p>
  <em>Yes, in Pontiac. After my mother threw me out I found him. He'd gotten remarried to the nicest woman, she's been 'mom' for the last fifteen years. They had two kids. Anna's 34 and Gabriel's 36. I stayed with them for a while before I was married and then after I was divorced.</em>
</p><p><em>do you still live in pontiac?</em> Dean asks, drinking the last of the water before finally settling under the quilt and reaching over to plug his phone into the charger.</p><p><em>No, Bloomington. We needed somewhere between UIUC and Pontiac, and Jack won the coin toss. I wanted farmland and Claire wanted suburbs. Jack wanted as close to 'city' as we could possibly get, so we moved to Bloomington.</em> Dean's just tapping out a reply when Castiel sends through another text message. <em>You said that you and Benny were 'complicated', can I ask what you meant by that?</em></p><p>Dean stutters out a short burst of laughter. If Castiel's going to ask questions about Dean's complicated relationship then Dean's going to do the same with his divorce, it's only fair. <em>he was with his ex wife since they were sixteen, it didn't end well. he was really nervous about getting into a relationship, especially with lizzy living with him full time, and by the time he was ready for a relationship, like two years ago, i was so pissed off at him for making me wait that long that i told him no.</em></p><p>
  <em>But you want to?</em>
</p><p><em>i wish the answer was no, cause he's a fucking dick, but unfortunately yes</em>, Dean replies. When Castiel takes too long to text back Dean says, its only fair now, what happened with your husband?</p><p><em>You're right, I did ask you a very personal question, so I will answer this one.</em> There's a wait as Castiel types, and then finally, after what feels like ten minutes, the text comes through. It's a long one. <em>Raging narcissist, abusive drunk, unrepentant cheater, shitty dad. We were together for eight months before we married, he was pretty much fine until Claire and Jack. Claire was three and Jack was just born. Their mother died in childbirth and they had no other family, so they came to us as foster kids first, and then we adopted them a few years later. The alcoholism came first, out of nowhere, he only ever tried to hit me once, I broke his wrist and I left him. He didn't cheat until the kids, he told me he 'never got me to himself'.</em> There's an eye rolling emoji, a facepalm emoji, a sick emoji and a vomiting emoji there and Dean laughs to himself. <em>There were different ones here and there, but the one I had the biggest problem with was the guy he was with for two years. Of course the stupid man had no idea he was married and honestly I don't blame him at all. I realised he was a raging narcissist during court and therapy, though of course it was going on our entire relationship. We've been divorced for ten years now and he lives in Quebec with his new husband, he doesn't see the kids.</em></p><p><em>shit</em> Dean texts back, no idea what else to say.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah. I get Benny though, the issues and the worrying about dating while you have kids. I just haven't bothered, haven't found anyone I liked enough before.</em>
</p><p>Dean's not quite sure what to say after that so instead he says, <em>ive got work in the morning, so im gonna head to bed but ill talk to you later yeah?</em></p><p>
  <em>Okay, goodnight Dean.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>night cas</em>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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</div>Dean is underneath a Mazda that's so new the inside still has that new car smell, trying to find a goddamned leak that is <em>pissing him off</em> when he hears Bobby say his name from beside his feet. It shocks him and he jerks, hitting his head on one of the pipes.<p>"Fuck hell, Bobby, you scared the shit out of me!" Dean squeaks, rolling out from underneath the car, sitting up. He can feel the grease on his forehead as he rubs the sharp sting of the impact away, and he tries to rub it off with the rag he left next to his tools. "What?"</p>
<p>Bobby gives him a stern look and says, "Don't get snappy, boy. There's a Lincoln in that needs a look under the hood."</p>
<p>That catches Dean's attention and he says, "Continental? Ugly gold color?"</p>
<p>"That'd be her. My leg's achin' like a mother, or I'd do it,'' Bobby explains. "I'll get Krissy on this one."</p>
<p>Dean salutes the man and climbs to his feet, taking his tools and rag, leaving the tools on the bench and taking the rag to wipe his hands while he goes out to the parking lot. Castiel's sitting in the driver's seat of his car with his legs outside of it, planted in the gravel. He's staring up at the sky with his hand held over his eyes to shield them from the bit of sun peeking through the clouds. </p>
<p>"Hey Cas, busted the car already?"</p>
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</div>Castiel looks over at Dean and lets his hand fall into his lap, and fucking <em>hell</em> he's pouting. "I swear I didn't do it. There was this hissing sound under the hood and google said to go to a mechanic <em>straight away</em>. So, hissing?"<p>"Could be a few things, I'd have to pop her open and take a look. Noticed anything else?" Dean says, pulling the hood up and propping it open. When Castiel doesn't reply Dean looks over at him. He looks confused, not sure what to say, so Dean starts listing off as many other symptoms as he can think of. </p>
<p>"A bit of stalling, that's really all I can think of."</p>
<p>Dean reaches in and begins feeling over the intake boot, finding the cause pretty quickly. On the bottom of one he can feel a large slit, an easy fix really, but for a Continental? Expensive, and it's gonna take a while to get it shipped out. At least two weeks. And Castiel can't drive it in that time. He stands up again and wipes his hands on the rag. "You're not gonna like it."</p>
<p>Castiel makes a face. "Bad?"</p>
<p>"It's not dead forever, completely fixable, but I need a special part for it. I'll have to get it shipped from Michigan. Could take a couple weeks."</p>
<p>Castiel's head falls to the side and thunks against the headrest as he sighs. "It's gonna cost me, too, huh?"</p>
<p>"Normal intake boots cost sixty, but you're probably looking at three hundred, maybe four. And you can't drive it while it's like this, if the vacuum system is leaking the exhaust or breaking might stop working, your car could stop on the road, cause an accident." Dean warns. Castiel nods solemnly and Dean takes pity on him. "I have a loaner you can borrow for now, but I think you'll be staying in town longer than you planned. Sorry 'bout that Cas."</p>
<p>When Dean looks over at Cas he doesn't seem that upset about having to stay in town any longer, and all he says, after a shrug, is, "It's not the end of the world. I'll have to figure out what to do with Jack and Claire though. I was only supposed to be here for two weeks."</p>
<p>"Normally I'd say you could probably go home and I'd let you know when the car's ready, but I don't think Bobby will let you take the loaner outside the state. It's up to you what you want to do, man."</p>
<p>Castiel brushes a hand over his face and sighs heavily. "I gotta go call my dad, is it alright if I leave it here, or do you need me to get it into the garage?"</p>
<p>"Nah, leave it here, I'll deal with it. Take whatever you need from it and chuck me the keys when you're ready," Dean replies, nodding his head and shutting the hood again. "I'll be inside when you're done and I'll get you started on the loaner."</p>
<p>Castiel nods and thanks him, before Dean makes his way back to the garage. Bobby is waiting in the office for him.</p>
<p>"Busted intake boot, can you start an order for Lincoln, get one shipped in?" Dean tells him, falling into the couch against the wall opposite Bobby's desk. "Oh, also, I promised him the Toyota, that still free?"</p>
<p>Bobby nods, tapping away at the computer, "I'll print the form for it, then I'll call Michigan. Can you check on Aidan? Make sure he hasn't irrevocably ruined the car I put him on."</p>
<p>Dean salutes the other man and climbs to his feet again, heading back into the garage to find Aidan. There's no sign of Castiel, so Dean suspects he's still out there, on the phone to his dad and packing up the things in his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Krissy had pushed Aidan aside and is leaning over the hood of the car with a combination wrench. She pulls back and turns to Aidan, hissing, "It's not fucking rocket science, if you keep fucking up they're going to fire you."</p>
<p>"Krissy, Aidan," he greets, stepping up beside them, peering into the hood to check that nothing is amiss. It seems fine, and he nods his head approvingly. "The leak?"</p>
<p>"Tiny pierce in the coolant hose, Aidan and I can replace it."</p>
<p>Dean's about to argue, he really doesn't think Aidan is ready to be replacing anything as fiddly as a coolant hose - if he fucks it up, and he doesn't attach it properly Dean and Bobby are the ones who are liable - but he sees Castiel come in and waves them off. "He can watch. Do <em>not</em> let him touch." Krissy nods and Dean watches them both trudge over to the Mazda before he approaches Castiel. "Hey, go okay?"</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head, hums his assent and then says, "Yeah, They're gonna come up on the twentieth. They'll stay until Thanksgiving break, then go back so they're at school the following week. Or they'll stay until the car's ready, whichever comes first. I'm just gonna put us up in my mother's house. I really didn't want to have to, but it'll be easier. And cheaper." He's standing with the sun streaking over his face, and Dean takes a moment to wonder how anyone's eyes could be so blue.</p>
<p>Dean knows how long it took him to move into his parents house after his dad died, and he has to stop himself from saying something stupid like offering the two spare bedrooms he has to Cas and his kids. Instead he says something equally stupid, "Do you want to get dinner later?"</p>
<p>Castiel opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it again, eyebrows in his hairline. Dean's about to take it back when the other man's face smooths out into an absolutely devastating smile, and he says, "Yeah, Dean. I'd like that. Where do you want to go?"</p>
<p>"You're probably bored of Lafitte's, huh? There's a place that does pizza and pasta in the next town over, that sound okay? And I'll pick you up at the B'n'B at six-thirty."</p>
<p>Castiel nods his head. "Yeah, that sounds good."</p>
<p>"Awesome," Dean replies. "Let’s get those forms signed."</p>
<p>Castiel follows him to the office, where he signs the forms, and is informed by Bobby that the order is in and they'll give him a call when they get confirmation. When he leaves, Toyota keys in hand, it suddenly occurs to Dean what he's done, and he turns to Bobby with wide eyes and says, "Oh, I fucked up. Benny is going to kill me."</p>
<p>Bobby doesn't bother asking what he means, he's long past caring about Dean and Benny's complicated thing.</p>
<p>Oh he really fucked up. Benny is going to straight up murder him.</p>
<p>"I'm just going to take my lunch break, yeah? Call me if you need me, I'll only be down at Lafitte's."</p>
<p>Bobby waves his hand dismissively and Dean is about to bolt straight for the Impala before he realises he has to make sure Krissy and Aidan are doing the right thing before he leaves, or face Bobby's wrath. Krissy doesn't like using the board, too terrified the car will somehow fall from the jack and crush her, so she's put the car up on the hydraulic lift and is replacing the hose as Aidan watches with rapt attention.</p>
<p>"Hey, have to go out for a bit, if you need anything Bobby's in the office. For the love of god do not do anything stupid," He warns them as he's taking his keys and wallet out of his locker. They both nod their understanding before getting back to work, Dean leaving them to it.</p>
<p>When he gets to the bar it's full for the lunch crowd, people chattering and music just loud enough to be heard over everyone. Benny's at the bar serving a customer and Dean catches his eye, jerking his head towards the office. Benny nods his understanding and Dean goes to the office to wait for him.</p>
<p>When Benny joins him, he gets the distinct impression that Benny thinks he's asked him in here for sex, so straight away he says, "Not here for a booty call. I did something without thinking and I had to let you know, you know, before anything happened."</p>
<p>Benny squints at Dean, mouth turned down into a confused frown, and slowly, he says, "Okay."</p>
<p>"I asked Castiel out to dinner. And I know I did it without talking to you first and I'm a fucking dick, I'm sorry about that," Dean gets out in a rush. "And he already knows about you and I, that's not a… we don't have to like, worry about that, and-"</p>
<p>"Dean, I don't care," Benny says, though he's extremely unconvincing.</p>
<p>"Yes you do, and I promise I'll make it up to you. You and me, Chillo's, six on Friday."</p>
<p>Benny makes a face at Dean. "I have to work Friday."</p>
<p>"No you don't, you can take a night off, you and I are going to fucking Chillo's, okay?"</p>
<p>Benny makes another face, then sighs deeply, rolling his eyes. A small smile is tugging at the corner of his mouth and it makes Dean's chest tight. "Okay. You gonna put out, cher?"</p>
<p>Dean lets out a stuttered laugh, punching Benny's shoulder gently. "For you or Cas?" Benny's face says something like <em>'you tell me'</em> and Dean replies, "Don't I always?"</p>
<p>"Well you're not wrong."</p>
<p>Dean reaches over and pulls Benny in for a kiss, cradling Benny's face in his hands. "Okay, I'm gonna order food then I have to go back to work, but I'll see you tomorrow. Do you want me to text you later tonight?"</p>
<p>"Call me after, tell me how it went."</p>
<p>Dean kisses him again. "You got it."</p>
<p>As Dean waits for his food, he realises he's just invited Benny out on their first proper date. They've been sleeping together for years, and sure, they've had food together, out and at home, but it's never been an actual date before. Castiel got into his head, and honestly he's pretty sure he's going to kiss him for it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
</div>It takes Dean an embarrassingly long time to figure out what to wear. As soon as he gets home he stands in front of his closet for at least ten minutes, just staring inside before he gives up and goes to take a shower. Once he's cleaned of grease and sweat he checks the closet again, chewing on his bottom lip. He stares at his phone, sitting on top of his unmade bed and dives for it, laying on his stomach as he scrolls through his texts, trying to figure out who to ask. Bobby and Rufus both look like redneck rejects and Charlie has terrible style. Sam's style is okay, but he'll ask too many questions. Eileen's probably the best dresser out of all of his friends, and she might not even ask him any questions, but it's nearing Mary's nap time and he doesn't want to interrupt her. Eventually, he lands on Benny. Benny's style is a little niche, but it's not like he's a bad dresser, though Dean's not sure if it would be weird to ask him what to wear to a date with someone else. He types out a text to him anyway.<p>
  <em>help! what am i supposed to wear?????</em>
</p>
<p>Benny's reply is almost instant, a long series of laughing-crying face emojis, and Dean's about to text him not to bother, but Benny gets back to him quicker. <em>That red shirt, black t-shirt. Blue jeans. CLEAN SHOES. Do not wear one of your grease stained boots, Dean, they're disgusting.</em></p>
<p>Dean sends him the rolled-eyes emoji and the middle finger before climbing to his feet to get the clothes out of his closet, laying them on the bed. Benny replies not long after Dean has pulled on his briefs.</p>
<p>
  <em>Leave the stubble, it was hot. And send a picture after.</em>
</p>
<p>Dean rolls his eyes and starts pulling on the clothes, sitting on the edge of the bed to put on his socks and a pair of unstained boots (and how the hell does he only have one pair with no grease on it anymore?). Once he's done, he checks the time - five minutes past six - before taking a picture in the closet mirror with his middle finger raised and sending it to Benny.</p>
<p>Benny, the bastard, sends Dean a picture of his crotch, hard dick tenting his jeans. There's just a sliver of his belly in the picture, the curl of hair on his belly that trails down into his jeans and circles his cock, and Dean's gut grows warm.</p>
<p>
  <em>asshole</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I can show you that too if you want me to, brother.</em>
</p>
<p>Dean makes a frustrated grunting noise and throws his phone onto the mattress. He gets his wool coat from the hallway closet and pulls it on. He collects his wallet and then his phone, pointedly not checking for any other text (or damned photo, the bastard) from Benny before shoving it in his pocket. </p>
<p>While he sits in the Impala waiting for it to heat up and melt the thin layer of frost on the windows he checks his phone again, just for something to do. Benny hasn't replied, so he checks his Facebook, likes a new photo of Mary that Sam's posted, scrolls through the for sales in the classic car group he's in, then gets bored and shoves his phone into his back pocket. He reaches over to the glove box and finds the tape labelled <em>Mix - Zepp, Jovi, AC/DC</em>, putting it into the tape deck and starting up the music, then turning the ignition on and pulling out of the driveway.</p>
<p>Castiel is waiting for Dean by his car in the bed and breakfast parking lot, leaning against the trunk, staring down at his phone. The Impala's headlights illuminate him as Dean turns into the lot, and he looks up, mouth turning up into a smile. Dean leans over and pulls up the door lock so Castiel can let himself in, falling into the passenger seat with a squeak of leather, shutting the door behind him.</p>
<p>"I like your car," he says, smiling thoughtfully, running his hand over the dashboard. "Chevrolet?"</p>
<p>Dean watches him gently pet his car and has to swallow the lump in his throat. Benny's always complaining about Dean's unhealthy obsession with his Baby, and maybe he's right. "Yeah, '67 Impala." Castiel hadn't seemed very interested in the classic status of his own car, and Dean's surprised he even managed to identify Dean's, especially in the dark.</p>
<p>Castiel turns a smile up to Dean, reaching over to plug in his seat belt, and says, "So, where are we going tonight?"</p>
<p>Dean reverses the car out of the lot and back onto the street. "Merry has this Italian place that opened up last year, they do all those health dishes - vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, stuff like that. We went out there for Sam's birthday."</p>
<p>"Sounds nice," Castiel replies. "I've been craving carbonara."</p>
<p>Dean grins over at him, "I love carbonara, it's my favourite."</p>
<p>Castiel's answering smile is admittedly breathtaking, and Dean's breath gets caught in his throat.</p>
<p>Merry is fifteen minutes down the highway and when they get to the restaurant it's packed. He really should've called and made a reservation. The host sends them to the bar to wait and they order drinks, staring at the menus they'd been given so they're ready to order when they have a table.</p>
<p>"Oh, we should get the cheesy garlic bread," Castiel says, pointing it out to Dean. </p>
<p>"Man, you had me at cheese," Dean jokes, smiling brightly over at Castiel, watching as he takes a drink of his whiskey and coke, staring at the menu. "There's this cheesy broccoli and cauliflower bake you can get to share, we should get that too."</p>
<p>"<em>Yes</em>," Cas says insistently, laughing.</p>
<p>They settle on two carbonaras, the cheesy garlic bread and the broccoli and cauliflower bake, giving the order to the waitress once they're sitting at a table near the window. The cold is soaking through the glass next to them, but there's a heater on the wall above them, so it's manageable. Dean hangs his coat over the back of the chair and leaves his wallet, keys and phone on the table next to him. Castiel does the same.</p>
<p>First date chatter isn't exactly Dean's forte, he never really knows what to say in these situations, but he wants to know more about Castiel's work, so he says, "Tell me the weirdest dinosaur fact you know."</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div>A bout of laughter bursts from Castiel. "Okay… hm," he strokes his chin as he thinks. "Oh! Dinosaur means terrible lizard."<p>"What?" Dean asks, laughter stuttering from him.</p>
<p>"A paleontologist in the early 19th century coined Dinosauria. Deinos means 'fearfully great' and sauros means 'lizard or reptile' in greek. That was my favourite fact in university." Castiel replies, smiling brightly. He strokes his chin again. "Oh, and they tried to clone dinosaur DNA, but they discovered the oldest cloneable samples of DNA are only about 2 million years old. The youngest known dinosaur specimen is about 65 million years old."</p>
<p>"They tried to clone dinosaur DNA? That's hilarious, what did they plan to do with one if it took?"</p>
<p>Castiel laughs again and shrugs his shoulder. "I have absolutely no idea, paleontologists are weird. They probably wanted to keep it as a pet."</p>
<p>"A pet dinosaur, Jesus," Dean replies. His jaw already aches from smiling so much, and his chest feels tight. Man, he's a fifteen year old girl. "Do you go out? And like, do digs? That's what they're called right?"</p>
<p>Castiel nods. "Sometimes. I prefer teaching, but I have a speciality that sometimes means I get called out. Usually it's only to a museum or another university, but occasionally they'll ship me out to digs. Last one was in Australia in february. Australian megafauna is a pet project at the moment."</p>
<p>"Megafauna, what does that mean?"</p>
<p>Castiel chews his bottom lip, thinking, then says, "Essentially an animal with a body mass over one hundred and thirty percent of their closest living relatives. Woolly mammoths are an example of megafauna, their closest living relatives are elephants."</p>
<p>"Dude, that's awesome."</p>
<p>"How did you get into mechanics?"</p>
<p>"Baby - the Impala - actually," Dean starts, taking a sip of his beer. "My dad would let me work on her when I was a kid. He died in senior year, and I needed a job, had two mouths to feed - oh you never met Adam! He's a sweet kid, our half brother. His mom died not long before John - cancer - so he came to live with us. He's in college at the moment, Stanford like Sam. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, right, I got a job with the previous owner of the auto shop, and when he retired he offered the shop to me but I really didn't want to deal with the business side of things. Bobby had left the school by then, so I sent the offer to him and he took it. I tried to do a bit of mechanical engineering in college once Sam had left university, but I got bored of it pretty quickly, too dumb for math."</p>
<p>Castiel laughs, "Don't you need math for mechanics, still?"</p>
<p>Dean shrugs. "Yeah, but not like that, most of it I have memorised anyway, so it's sort of automatic." Castiel's staring at him, a small smile tilting the corners of his mouth, and Dean says, "What?"</p>
<p>"Nothing. I just think you don't give yourself enough credit. You've memorised mathematical algorithms, that's not too dumb for math, that's incredibly smart."</p>
<p>Dean flushes and looks down at his hands. He's still terrible with compliments that don't come during sex, and he's not really sure how to respond. He doesn't need to though, because at that moment, their waitress is placing the cheesy garlic bread and broccoli and cauliflower bake on their table with two side plates.</p>
<p>"Thank you," he says to her, shooting her a smile before turning back to the food. She's left a spoon with the bake and Castiel takes it, scooping some out onto his plate.</p>
<p>"This smells amazing," Castiel says, staring down at the food on his plate before handing the spoon over to Dean who scoops out his own serve. It does smell amazing, and Dean's stomach grumbles. He takes a piece of garlic bread and says, "Okay, now <em>you</em> have to tell me your weirdest car fact."</p>
<p>Dean chews on the end of the piece of garlic bread as he thinks, swallowing before he speaks, "The first car accident was in eighteen-ninety-one and the first speeding ticket was issued in nineteen-oh-two. Oh and the dude was only going forty-five miles per hour. Oh, and the record for removing and replacing a car engine is 42 seconds. When I was in my twenties I tried to beat it, but it took me almost ten minutes. I later realised that the record was set by a team."</p>
<p>Castiel laughs around a forkful of cheese and broccoli. "Less than ten minutes is still pretty impressive," he says after he's chewed and swallowed the food. "Have you got any more?"</p>
<p>Dean thinks again. "Oh! The Dubai police force have a bunch of like, stupid expensive sports cars - an Audi, a Lamborghini - and the fastest car in the world, which is this really ugly green and white Bugatti Veyron. It may just be me, but I don't understand the appeal of sports cars, I like a good muscle car." Castiel's flushed right at the top of his cheek bones and Dean says, "Are you too hot?"</p>
<p>Castiel smiles gently and shakes his head, then says, "No, I'm fine, thank you. Tell me about Adam, you only really touched on him."</p>
<p>Dean shrugs and then nods his head. "John used to disappear a lot, the years after the fire," he doesn't really think he needs to explain that one, everyone knows how Dean's mom died now. He thinks Castiel will remember even if it's been twenty years, it kinda sticks out in your mind. "He met Adam's mom Kate in Minnesota, I was eleven, Sam was six at the time? He ran back home before Kate could tell him she was pregnant. When she got sick in '97 - stage four breast cancer - she hired a private investigator to find John, put it in her will that he was to go there when she died. He was seven I think? He just showed up on our doorstep, John lost it. He ended up living with Bobby for a while and when Dad died and custody of them shifted to me, I moved him back into the house." Dean nods his head solemnly. "He's a good kid, smart. His mom was a nurse, so he went to med school, he's doing oncology, wants to help people, thinks he needs to make up for not being able to help his mom. His graduation is at the end of the school year and he's top of his class."</p>
<p>Castiel's nodding vigorously, clearly interested in what Dean is saying, and when Dean stops, he says, "How did you afford to pay for a Stanford law degree and a Stanford medical degree?"</p>
<p>Dean laughs, lots of people ask him that, all the time. "I got a phone call when I turned twenty-one, said there was a trust fund in my name available to me now. Our mom's parents died long before we were born, and absolutely everything they had went into a trust fund for Sam and I. Sam got a scholarship for undergrad and the trust fund paid for the law degree. The trust fund had to pay for Adam's undergrad and medical school, but it covered most of it, I think I only ended up paying like five grand out of pocket? It completely drained the money, but it's what it was for anyway."</p>
<p>"With none left for you?"</p>
<p>Dean shrugs his shoulders, "What was I gonna do with it? Besides, I know Sam's been putting money away to pay me back for it, Eileen's not very good at keeping secrets. But I really don't need it. I've got two jobs that pay me enough that I can buy one-hundred dollar fifty-year-old vinyls without denting my money too much, the house was paid off before it came into my name. I really don't need it."</p>
<p>"You might want to take a vacation some day, see the world."</p>
<p>Dean shakes his head, smiling, then says "Nah, hate flying. I go on a road trip every year though, a month of vacation time in April to visit car shows and eat terrible diner food and sleep in the back of Baby in the middle of fucking nowhere. Adam and Sam came the first time, then Adam for a few years when Sam was away at Stanford, then Sam for a few years, then it was just me for a while. Charlie came a couple times, and Bobby came once, right after the accident. Benny came this year and last year, and the year before that it was Benny, Charlie, Elizabeth, Sam, Eileen and Deanna. We didn't all fit in the Impala, we had to take Benny's beat up camper, too."</p>
<p>Castiel tilts his head and looks over at Dean, another small smile curling at his lips. "That sounds nice, Dean, really."</p>
<p>"It's awesome." Dean nods his head, eating the last of the food on his plate. "Do you see the world? Besides when you're digging in it?"</p>
<p>Castiel laughs, and is just about to speak when the waitress approaches them with the pasta, setting it down in front of each of them once they've moved their empty plates. She takes the dishes and another order of drinks before she walks away. "I've a baba - a grandmother - in Russia, some cousins, we visit sometimes, otherwise it's a toss up between Florida and California for summer vacation, Claire likes Florida and Jack likes California."</p>
<p>"You… you have family in Russia?" </p>
<p>Castiel laughs again, and he looks almost disbelieving. "Novak and Oksana? Novak is Slavic, my father was born in the Czech republic. Oksana is Russian, my mother was born in Serbia, to a Serbian mother and a Russian father."</p>
<p>Dean… never knew that. "So you're… Czech, Serbian and Russian?"</p>
<p>"And just a smidge of German thrown in there on my dad's side," Castiel replies with a laugh.</p>
<p>"I don't ever remember your mother having an accent."</p>
<p>Csatiel shakes his head. "No, she and her parents immigrated here from Serbia in… shit I think it was '59, she hadn't learned to speak yet, so she was younger than two. And my dad moved to America in 1970 looking for work. You should hear him speak, half the time even I can't understand him."</p>
<p>"Can you speak any of the languages?"</p>
<p>"Eh," Castiel replies, shaking his hand in a <em>so-so</em> motion. "I'm fluent in Czech, and not terrible with Russian on a good day, but I could barely manage a conversation in Serbian. I'm fluent enough in German to hold a conversation, but only because I chose to take it as an elective in college."</p>
<p>Dean feels his cheek heat, and he makes a plan to tell Benny that Castiel can <em>speak five fucking languages</em> when he gets home. Benny's going to rib the shit out of him. "So you speak five languages? That's pretty damn impressive, Cas."</p>
<p>Castiel makes a face. "Technically I know eleven, but I'm only truly well versed in some of them."</p>
<p>Dean feels a bit like his heart is in his throat, and his voice feels rough to his ears when he says, "Eleven?"</p>
<p>Castiel hasn't noticed his reaction, and he just nods in reply. "When I was doing digs during university, and afterwards when I worked in the field, I had to learn the language quickly, or I would never know what was going on. So English - obviously - Russian, Czech, Serbian, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Bengali and Hindi. Most of those languages I admit to knowing very little more than '<em>Is this bone or rock?</em>', '<em>Where are the toilets?</em>' and '<em>Do you speak English?</em>' It's usually enough to get the information I need."</p>
<p>"Holy shit, Cas."</p>
<p>Castiel frowns at him in confusion. "What?"</p>
<p>"You're like, genius-level smart."</p>
<p>Castiel shakes his head. "I'm really not, I promise. It's mostly just memorising a few phrases that I'll need."</p>
<p>Dean turns a raised eyebrow to him. "You told me that memorising mathematical algorithms made me smart, so memorising eleven languages makes <em>you smart</em>."</p>
<p>Castiel cheeks are flushed red and Dean kind of wants to kiss him. </p>
<p>After dinner, Dean goes to the restroom, then pays for their meals, mostly so they don't have to have that awkward will-I-pay-will-you-pay conversation. When he goes back to the table, he grabs his coat and the things he left on the table, holding his hand out for Castiel.</p>
<p>"Cmon, we're dining and dashing," he jokes in a whisper. Castiel looks horrified, and Dean bursts into laughter, catching the attention of some of the other diners around them. "I'm kidding Cas, I've already paid, c'mon."</p>
<p>Castiel makes a face at him, but takes his things, and then Dean's hand, following him out of the restaurant. It's almost eleven, and as much as Dean would kill to stay longer, be with Castiel longer, he has to be at the garage to open at five, and he doesn't think he's going to make it <em>now</em>. Nonetheless, he takes the long way back into town, and doesn't realise until he's pulling into the parking lot of the bed and breakfast that he's still holding Castiel's hand.</p>
<p>Their hands break apart so they can exit the car, and Dean meets Castiel at the passenger side. Dean's not sure what he wants to say to Castiel, and even if he did know, he doesn't get the chance, because Castiel says, "Is it alright if I kiss you, Dean?"</p>
<p>Dean's cheeks grow warm and he nods his head, leaning down to meet Castiel in the middle for a gentle press of lips. Castiel's lips are warm and smooth, and he tastes like whiskey and cheese, and Dean thinks very seriously about pressing Castiel to the car and licking the taste from his mouth. He doesn't, because he's respectable - okay no, he really isn't, but he wants Castiel to think he is, at least for a little while.</p>
<p>Castiel pulls away first, hand pressed to Dean's chest (when the heck did that get there, and why does it make Dean feel like lightning?) and smiles up at him. "Tell Benny I said hi. Goodnight, Dean."</p>
<p>Dean stands there, a bit dumbstruck, until his mouth catches up to his brain, right as Castiel is ascending the stairs, and calls out, "Wait, what?"</p>
<p>Castiel doesn't reply, just shoots him a smile before letting himself inside the building.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Dean climbs back into the Impala he reaches for his phone and calls Benny. When the other man answers, Dean doesn't let him speak, instead, stuttering out, "He speaks eleven languages, Benny, <em>eleven</em>. And also, he said '<em>say hi to Benny</em>', how the hell did he know I was going to call you?"</p>
<p>Benny lets out a startled laugh.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
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</div><em>Hey, do you have plans tomorrow night?</em><p>The text comes as Dean's letting himself into the bar after having to go home to wash off the layer of oil left from a bottle that had dropped from a high shelf after he'd bumped into it. He's not late this time, in fact when he checks his phone he realizes he's almost fifteen minutes early, which might just be a new record for him.</p>
<p>It's from Castiel, and Dean's chest grows tight when he reads it. He waves at the others as he passes them, heading through the back hallway and into the office. Benny's there - on the phone - and Dean falls into the couch to wait for him, going into the messenger app to reply to Castiel.</p>
<p>
  <em>yeah, benny and i are going out. which! you should know is our first actual date, and entirely your fault. thank you</em>
</p>
<p>Castiel sends back a string of happy emojis and then, <em>I'm glad. Saturday or Sunday?</em></p>
<p><em>Saturday</em>, Dean replies. Then, <em>Lunch?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>As long as you kiss me again. And do it properly this time.</em>
</p>
<p>Dean laughs, hiding it behind his hand so he doesn't disturb Benny, though he still catches the man's eye, his eyebrow raised curiously. Dean shrugs his shoulders, mouth turned up into a smirk, and Benny rolls his eyes. <em>what kind of girl do you take me for?</em></p>
<p><em>The kind that has sex in a bar office in the middle of the dinner rush.</em> Castiel replies, sending a series of laughing-crying and winking faced emojis right after it. </p>
<p>Dean laughs harder this time, and he has to shove his knuckles into his mouth so he doesn't interrupt Benny. <em>ouch</em> he texts, then, <em>though, it's not like you're wrong</em>.</p>
<p><em>Rarely am I wrong.</em> </p>
<p>Dean's glad Benny's off the phone, because he can't quieten the laughter that bursts from him at Castiel's text.</p>
<p>"What?" Benny asks from his desk, turning a raised eyebrow on Dean.</p>
<p>"Cas is meaner than you are, Benny," Dean tells him, giving him a sharp smile. "Didn't even think that was possible."</p>
<p>Benny gives him the finger. "What do you want?"</p>
<p>"I was thinking we should go get a drink together, hash this shit out, make sure we're all on the same page."</p>
<p>"When?"</p>
<p>Dean chews his bottom lip and stares down at his phone, trying to think. "What if we get breakfast at speedway on Sunday morning?"</p>
<p>Benny shrugs his shoulders, which is as good as an agreement for him, so Dean looks down at his phone again to text Cas. <em>do you want to have breakfast with benny and i on sunday?</em></p>
<p>Castiel's reply is instant. <em>Yes</em>.</p>
<p>"Awesome, he said yes," Dean says, grinning brightly at Benny, climbing to his feet and leaning over Benny's desk with his hand braced on the edge. "You know what would totally make this better."</p>
<p>"I don't like that look on your face," Benny says, squinting suspiciously at Dean. "Wipe it off."</p>
<p>"It would be better if you and Cas date, too. Because I swear to god if you don't tag team me at least once, I will lose my shit."</p>
<p>Benny rolls his eyes and looks back at his laptop, typing something before he hits the enter button and shuts the laptop. "You haven't even had sex with him yet and you're already talkin' 'bout threesomes. He may only want to have sex with you."</p>
<p>Dean makes a face, pouting out his bottom lip.  "But you're hot as fuck, why wouldn't he want to have sex with you?"</p>
<p>Benny rolls his eyes again and wipes a hand over his face and rolls his eyes. "You are incorrigible. Flattery will get you nowhere."</p>
<p>Dean snorts. "Ha! You're a sixteen year old girl who has big gooey feelings for me, flattery gets me everywhere."</p>
<p>Benny braces his elbows on the desk and leans forward on them, hands under his chin. He's got a glint in his eye, and Dean's not sure if he should be worried, or really, really turned on right now and dropping his jeans. "Manje'm."</p>
<p>A shiver runs down his spine and the hairs at the back of his neck prick up. He's picked up a lot of French since he met Benny, at least, he definitely knows the stuff he uses to tease Dean, and <em>eat me</em> is most definitely one of those phrases. Dean's mouth tilts up into a sharp smile. "Lean over, then."</p>
<p>Benny's opened his mouth to say something when Dean's phone buzzes in his hand. When he stands up to look at it, Benny reclines back in his chair and groans. At least Dean knows he wasn't the only one getting riled up.</p>
<p><em>What does Benny like to drink?</em> Cas has asked, and then after a moment, I mean his favourite alcohol.</p>
<p>Dean looks over at Benny who's watching him curiously. <em>whyyyy?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Got to make a good impression on the first one, make sure he likes me.</em>
</p>
<p>Dean makes a disgustingly adoring face at his phone before turning up to look at Benny again. "He wants to buy you a bottle of your favourite drink, what the fuck. Who is that nice?"</p>
<p>Benny's amused, and his cheeks are a little red like he's embarrassed. He doesn't say anything, instead waving his hand in acquiesce. </p>
<p>Dean goes back to his phone and types out, <em>he likes honey jack and starward, whichever's fine. and for the record, if im getting presents i like pie.</em></p>
<p>Castiel sends a string of the laughing-crying face emoji, then <em>Nope, only Benny gets presents.</em> After a moment, when Dean thinks he's finished and he's about to turn back to Benny and continue on with what they were doing before Castiel texts, the man texts again. <em>Well… maybe one for you later.</em></p>
<p>Dean gets the distinct impression that the man is no longer talking about pie and whiskey.</p>
<p>"Holy fuck," Dean says, turning the phone around so Benny can read it. "Am I reading too much into this or did he just imply he wants to hit home base with me on Saturday?"</p>
<p>Benny steals Dean's phone from him before Dean can stop him, turning around so Dean can't reach across the desk and has to go around him. He's typing, and when Dean gets to him he can see Benny hit send. </p>
<p>"I am going to beat your ass," Dean says, snatching his phone back, cheeks flaming red when he sees what Benny's written. <em>He has a language kink, and I'll take the honey.</em>  "I'm gonna kill you, Benny, I swear to God."</p>
<p>"You can't, cher, you'd miss my cock too much."</p>
<p>Dean pinches the bridge of his nose and glares at Benny, repeatedly kicking him in the shin - though not very hard - until he calls uncle. "If you scare him off, I swear to God, Benny, I will straight up put you in the deep fryer."</p>
<p>Benny reaches up and pulls Dean down by his collar, pressing their mouths together in a hard, wet kiss. Dean doesn't stop him, kissing him back, at least until his phone buzzes in his hand. He pulls back then, looks down at the device and carefully thumbs it open.</p>
<p>
  <em>I guessed.</em>
</p>
<p>He… he <em>guessed</em>? What the fuck does that even mean. Dean replies with a line of question marks. </p>
<p><em>First indication was the way you reacted when Benny spoke to you in French that night at the bar after you both came out of the office. The second was the way you reacted last night when I told you that I spoke languages other than English. I was going to casually insert something Russian into a conversation to see how you reacted, but Benny has made that unnecessary.</em> Dean stares between his phone and Benny with his mouth gaping open in shock, before Castiel sends another text. <em>I'm more than happy to still do so. On Saturday.</em></p>
<p>"I hate both of you," He tells Benny, before texting the same thing to Cas, storming out of the office and to the bar. Charlie is in the window, arguing with another bartender, Josephine, who's holding a plate of gumbo. Josephine's a good kid, she's Krissy and Aidan's friend, and Dean had let Krissy convince him to give her a job, but she hasn't learnt yet that Lafitte's isn't a place where the rule 'the customer is always right' is the law. In fact, the law is 'Charlie's always right and if you cross her, she'll gut you like a fish'. "Hey, hey, what's happening?"</p>
<p>"She said the customer over peppered it and wanted a new one. I told her to take it back and tell him to eat it or leave, but she wont, and she's driving me insane right now," Charlie says, snapping the last in Josephine's direction. Josephine looks cowed by Charlie, but she's insistent, which means she's far more worried about taking the plate back to the customer than she is about Charlie's ensuing wrath.</p>
<p>"Hey," he says to her, taking the plate from her hand and setting it on the counter. "What's going on?"</p>
<p>Her eye twitches and she clenches his jaw. "He was gross. No he was fucking vile, I wasn't taking it back to him."</p>
<p>"Has he paid already?" They make the strangers prepay and are happy for the regulars to postpay, and he's goddamned hoping this one's a stranger, cause he's about to fuck his shit up. Josephine nods. Charlie's face has lost that murderous edge, and she's chewing on her bottom lip. "Roughly, what did he say? You don't have to tell me word for word."</p>
<p>Josephine's jaw clenches again, and her cheeks are red like she's embarrassed, like she has absolutely anything to be embarrassed about. "He made a comment about waiting til I got off for the night."</p>
<p>Dean takes a steady breath and centers himself. "Point him out then go get Bobby." </p>
<p>She points towards a table near the back corner with two men, specifically at the man furthest from them. They look like truck drivers, they get them in often, they're usually the only strangers besides road-trippers. Dean makes sure he's got the right man, then picks up the bowl of gumbo and takes it over to the table. He really was just going to kindly ask the man to leave, but his face annoys Dean. He steps up beside the two, giving them his best customer service smile, before tipping the food over the man's head. </p>
<p>"Out, now."</p>
<p>They've garnered attention, a man covered in food spluttering and yelling, calling Dean every name under the sun, and Dean standing there, holding an empty bowl with nothing but a smile on his face.</p>
<p>"What the fuck man?"</p>
<p>"You do <em>not</em> speak to women like that, do you understand me?" Dean hisses, settling the bowl on the table with a clatter. "Now get. The fuck. Out."</p>
<p>When the man stands, face an ugly red with his anger, he's taller than Dean, and bigger. Dean has experience fighting off and fucking up men larger than him, drunk and sober. He's not worried.</p>
<p>"I didn't say anything to that black bitch."</p>
<p>Oh wow. A racist, too. Dean wonders if he can go for the trifecta. "Get out, or I'll make it hurt. Neither of us want that, and my boyfriend really doesn't like it when I get blood on the carpet."</p>
<p>The man's face goes purple, and Dean's almost about to worry after his health, at least, until he narrowly misses the fist to his face. He elbows the man in the face so hard he hears a crunch, then takes his arm and twists it around his back, holding it until he knows, if he only puts a little pressure on it, he could fracture his ulna, or dislocate his shoulder. "You motherfucker."</p>
<p>The man's dinner companion hasn't said or done anything the entire argument, and Dean looks over at him, mostly because he's wondering why.</p>
<p>He's a kid, maybe eighteen, but barely, and he looks terrified. Jesus Christ. </p>
<p>"Is that your kid? That really how you want to raise him? Full of hate and fear?" Neither the man nor the kid reply, and Dean is ready to pull the man's arm until he does (or until it dislocates, whichever is faster), is pushing at his elbow until he's crying out in pain, when he hears his name.</p>
<p>Benny's there, and so is Charlie, and off to his other side is Rufus and Bobby (had they been here the entire time?). And there, standing at the entrance with wide blue eyes like the ocean, is Castiel. He lets the man go, and he drops to the floor, cradling his arm in the other. The boy runs to his side and helps him up, leading him out the door.</p>
<p>"I took it too far again, didn't I?" he whispers to the people around him. No one replies.</p>
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</div>Sam's waiting when Benny drives him home, and he doesn't even remember Benny calling him. They take him inside and sit him down on the couch, and he can hear them talking about him, wondering if he's been taking his medication. He has been, he knows he has been, he takes it every night, he's not forgotten once in ten years.<p>"Dean?" He hears Sam say. He turns his head up to look at his brother. "I'm gonna go call Mia, okay?"</p>
<p>Dean nods. Right, Mia. Mia would be a good idea right about now. </p>
<p>When Sam's gone Benny sits down next to him, pulling Dean into his side. Dean lets him, pressing his face into Benny's neck and taking a deep breath. Benny smells nice, like his cologne and food, and Dean breathes him in, tries to center himself. Benny's arm tightens around him and he rests his head on top of Dean's.Neither of them speak, Benny knows Dean wants silence after he's had an episode, and Dean appreciates it.</p>
<p>Sam reappears eventually, holding his phone out to Dean. Dean takes it and presses it to his ear. "Mia?"</p>
<p>"Hey, Dean, how are you feeling?"</p>
<p>Dean takes a second, sorts through the emotions and the thoughts, takes a deep breath and says, "Not angry anymore. I feel down, but not depressed. I feel like…" he chews his lip. "Exhausted. I'm exhausted."</p>
<p>"Can you tell me what you were feeling before, what might have triggered the episode? Sam said a man at the bar made an inappropriate comment towards one of your female coworkers?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, Josephine. I…" He thinks again, pulling away from Benny, only far  enough to sit up properly, still pressed into his side. "Disgust, offense… I… I think that's it."</p>
<p>"Before that, Dean, before Josephine told you what he did."</p>
<p>"Happy," Dean whispers. "I was feeling happy."</p>
<p>There's a pause, Dean thinks he can hear the scratching of a pen on paper, then Mia speaks again. "Why were you happy, Dean?"</p>
<p>He thinks about it, then swears. "Fuck, Castiel, he was there." He turns to Benny with wild, panicked eyes.</p>
<p>"It's okay, Dean, I'll call him, I'll tell him. Focus."  Benny says, reaching up with the arm around Dean to stroke his fingers through Dean's hair. It's soothing, and Dean nods, sinking back into his embrace.</p>
<p>"Dean?" He hums his answer. "Why were you happy?"</p>
<p>"Benny, we were going to go out on a date."</p>
<p>"We still are, tomorrow night at six, Chillo's. Remember?" Benny tells him, because he knows Dean well enough now to know that he's second guessing himself. Dean nods.</p>
<p>"I went out with Cas, we were going to go out again on Saturday." He tries to take a steadying breath, but it comes out shaky, and he can feel himself crack. "Fuck, his ex was abusive, he's probably running for the fucking hills-"</p>
<p>Mia interrupts, saying Dean's name in a gentle but firm tone, questioning. "Dean?" </p>
<p>Dean hums again, brow furrowed as he stares at the knee of his jeans, at the small dark red splotch on the fabric. Shit. </p>
<p>"Can you come in the morning, Dean? Eight, before I open?" Dean nods, then realizes  she can't see him and says yes out loud. "Good. Call me again tonight if you need me Dean, any time. If you feel like you might do something rash, call me."</p>
<p>"Okay. I will." When the call ends, he hands Sam's phone to him and climbs to his feet, out of Benny's warm embrace. "I'm going to take a shower." He tells them both, taking his phone out of his pocket and throwing it onto the couch cushions next to Benny.</p>
<p>He stands in the shower for what feels like hours, letting the spray wash over him, staring at the pattern of the tiles, tracing them over and over again until he feels like he's going crazy.</p>
<p><em>Going? There's no going, you're already there.</em> A voice in Dean's head, one that sounds very suspiciously like his dad's, says unhelpfully. That's when he finally makes himself get out of the shower.</p>
<p>When he gets to his bedroom he pulls on a pair of pajama  pants and a hoodie before climbing into bed, under the covers, curling the sheets up under his chin, around his fists. He stares at the closed door in front of him, the light spilling in from the hallway between the crack at the bottom. He can hear voices, on the other side of the house, and then, after a while, footsteps, two sets.</p>
<p>The door opens, just a crack, and Benny pokes his head in. "Can we come in, cher?"</p>
<p>He hums his assent. He expects the we to be Benny and Sam, and is surprised - no, terrified - when he sees it isn't his brother, but Castiel. Dean can't identify the look on his face.</p>
<p>Castiel hangs around the doorway, but Benny walks to the bed and moves Dean's knees so he can take a seat next to him. Dean watches Castiel's eyes drift to Benny's, and he can see Castiel's half of a silent conversation. Eventually, after what feels like forever, Castiel moves, reaching the bed and climbing to his knees, leaning against the bed with his forearms braced on the mattress, resting his chin on his hands.</p>
<p>"Hey," He says gently, face so close to Dean's that Dean can feel the puff of his breath. "Can I tell you something?" Dean nods slowly. "First of all, I'm not running, there's a vast difference between how you were tonight and how Crowley was the entire time we were married. I don't think you're like him, Dean, at all. You're a good man, and even good men have things they fear will see the light of day." Dean's eyes sting and he blinks to get rid of it. He hates crying. Not like he used to, when he thought it was a weakness. He hates it because sometimes when he does it it feels like he'll never stop, and he hates the powerlessness of it. Castiel lays his cheek over his palm so their faces are turned the same way. "Secondly, it would be rather hypocritical of me to judge you for something your brain does, and makes you do, that you can't control. I was twenty-five when I was diagnosed with cyclothymia. It's a bipolar spectrum disorder. I have it under control with medication, therapy and mindfulness techniques, but I'm not perfect, my brain isn't perfect. I'm human and I'm fallible, and I'm allowed to be. So are you." Castiel reaches out, hand hovering close to Dean's face, his eyes glued to Dean's, waiting for permission. When Dean nods, Castiel's hand settles over his cheek, thumb slowly swiping over his cheekbone. "I'm not leaving Dean, and I really like you." Dean watches Castiel's face turn to Benny before the man says, "For the record, I really like <em>you</em>, too."</p>
<p>"You… you don't have to pretend. That you didn't see what I did. That you weren't terrified."</p>
<p>Castiel lets out a deep breath. "I'm not pretending Dean, I did see what you did, and yes, admittedly, it was rather excessive, but the confrontation was also called for. You stuck up for a young girl who either couldn't or wasn't able to stick up for herself, and that's what makes you a good man, Dean."</p>
<p>Dean stretches his legs out until he can feel his toes just coming off the edge of the bed and says, "I don't like pigs, and I don't like racists, and you should've <em>seen</em> the color his face turned when I told him my boyfriend didn't like it when I got blood on the carpet."</p>
<p>"I <em>don't</em> like it when you get blood on the carpet," Benny replies. Dean can hear the teasing edge to his voice, and he can feel himself calming more, glad Benny isn't upset with him either. "You didn't, by the way, get any blood on the carpet. Man must've had something wrong with him, never seen someone bleed that little over a broken nose."</p>
<p>Dean winces. "I broke his nose?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, cher, but it's alright, I think we can give the broken nose to him for free, might be less likely to say vile things to young girls." Benny replies, and when Dean looks over at him he's pulling off his jacket and toeing off his boots. He's pulling the sheets back behind Dean and is about to climb in when he stops and says, "Fuck I'm not sleeping in jeans, I'm almost fifty."</p>
<p>Dean makes a face at him as he unzips his jeans and shoves them down his hips. "You're forty-three, weirdo." When he looks back at Castiel, the man is resolutely looking away from Benny, and he looks nervous. Dean's about to say something, tell him to get in too, but Benny beats him to it.</p>
<p>"Scooch back towards me, cher, you're gonna make Cas hang off the bed."</p>
<p>Castiel's eyes go wide and in the darkness, Dean can just see his cheeks redden. "Are you- you don't have to-"</p>
<p>Benny snorts, slipping his arms around Dean and pulling him back when he decides Dean is taking too long to do it himself. "Take your shoes off, too, Dean hates shoes in the bed."</p>
<p>Castiel doesn't reply again, instead he gets to his feet and starts pulling his jacket off, then leans down to untie his shoes and pull them off. He stops at the fastenings of his jeans, his face going darker, and says, "Could I borrow a pair of pants?"</p>
<p>Dean points in the direction of the closet and says, "Second drawer from the bottom."</p>
<p>Castiel goes to find a pair of pants and Dean scoots back further towards Benny to make space for him when he's ready, pulling the quilt back so it's open for Castiel when he's ready to climb in. Benny's got his face pressed into the back of Dean's neck when Castiel finally joins them (and Dean's also pretty sure he's asleep), with at least a foot of space between them.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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</div>"You make it weird if you lie that far away, man, don't make it weird," Dean says, grasping around for Castiel's arm, pulling him closer so Castiel's lying on his back next to him. Dean drapes his arm around Castiel's middle and rests his cheek over Castiel's shoulder. "There, better. Thanks, Cas."<p>A deep, almost contented grumble reverberates from Castiel's chest, and he says, "You're very welcome Dean."</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
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</div>The man makes a formal complaint to Jody, which Dean was expecting. She'd tried to convince him not to, which Dean more than appreciates, but he's a big boy, and he let his emotions get the better of him, and now he has to deal with the consequences.<p>Dean almost feels bad for the poor son of a bitch, it's likely if anything Dean will get no more than community service. His brother's the town lawyer, the co-sheriffs are friends since childhood, the nearest judge is an ex-girlfriend that Dean still has good standing with, and every witness other than the man's son knows that Dean has been well medicated for borderline personality disorder since he was twenty-three. </p>
<p>He does feel bad for the hairline fracture on the man's radius, because he'd really only <em>meant</em> to give him a broken nose. </p>
<p>Sam meets with the other man's lawyer and they agree to a bargain without taking it to court. Dean pays for damages, including the man's hospital bills, and agrees to see Mia more regularly and review his medications and therapies, and the man agrees to never set foot back in town. In the deal, it's also agreed that if either break it, they go to court, and the particulars of the fight are brought up, including the sexual harassment and hateful comments, and that the man threw the first punch. Sam tells Dean that the lawyer wasn't aware of the man's side in the argument, and became more insistent that they agree on the deal. Dean ends up paying two and a half thousand for hospital fees and five hundred for damages, which is the same cost as an assault fine. </p>
<p>It's sorted by the end of the next week and Dean feels like he can take a breath again. Benny makes Dean promise that any future confrontations with customers go through him, and Dean agrees easily. </p>
<p>He and Benny make up their Chillo's date on the following Friday. They know just about everything about the other now, that instead of doing a normal get-to-know-you first date they spend the entire night people watching, and coming up with increasingly ridiculous stories about each person. As they're paying, Dean leans down to whisper in Benny's ear about the couple at the table closest to them. One of the two women, with bright red hair, is breathtakingly beautiful and also massively pregnant, and Dean tells Benny that Ariel got wise and dumped prince Eric's ass for Vanessa, which makes Benny burst into laughter. </p>
<p>"Stop, you're being distracting."</p>
<p>Dean shoots him a smug smile and taps his chin as he waits patiently for Benny to finish before they walk to the Impala, jostling each other as they go. They get into an argument at the front of the car about who should drive, because Dean most definitely had too many beers, and he only agrees to hand over the keys when Benny leans over for a kiss. </p>
<p>"I was thinking," Benny announces as they're climbing into the car. </p>
<p>"Dangerous," Dean warns with a toothy grin, toing his shoes off so he can prop his feet up on the dashboard. Benny makes a face at him and he says, "What? She's my car, she knows I love her."</p>
<p>"We haven’t talked about a lot of the things we should." Dean looks over at him, frowning, because yes, they really haven't but he really needs Benny to be specific right now. "It had to have hurt, cher, when I couldn't give you what you needed. And you still stuck around."</p>
<p>Dean lets out a long, deep breath and says, "Oh, that thing. Well, yeah, for a while. But I could always tell you felt the same, and just weren't ready to admit it. That's why I stuck around. You're a rat bastard for it, but I fucking love you."</p>
<p>Benny laughs. "I fuckin' love you too."</p>
<p>Dean can feel his mouth turn up in the corners. "Well, thanks for finally admitting it, you son of a bitch."</p>
<p>"Hey, my mom was many things, but a bitch was not one of them," Benny jokes, reaching over to shove Dean affectionately. He lets his hand fall to Dean's thigh and leaves it there, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"I know, and it's okay now." </p>
<p>Benny squeezes again. "We need to talk about Castiel as well. How you want it to go. How I want it to go. How he wants it to go. This isn't something I've had experience in before, but I know you have, and I suppose I just need to understand everything."</p>
<p>Dean nods. "Well, do you have questions or do you just want me to break it down?" When Benny doesn't reply Dean suspects it's the latter. "Well, I could go on all night about the nuclear family and the conservative idea that the only possible - the only correct family - is one with a straight married couple and their children, but I don't think that's what you want to know." When Dean looks over at Benny he's shaking his head. "Personally? I feel more comfortable in tightly knit polycules, which is closer to a single relationship with multiple partners, but there are other kinds, there's really no way to get it wrong. Some people have multiple relationships with multiple people, and they have relationships with others, people you don't have a relationship with - they're called metamours by the way. If we go ahead with Cas and you decide you don't want to be involved with our relationship then he would be your metamour, and the same for you bein' his." Benny looks over at Dean and nods, like he's letting Dean know he's understanding and he wants Dean to continue. "I guess you could say that poly relationships involve more communication than non-poly relationships, but that wouldn't really be true, it's just a different kind of communication. We're human, we aren't immune to jealousy and insecurities, we all worry that we're not enough for the people that we love. Even in a two person relationship you can never be absolutely everything for one person. It's unrealistic."</p>
<p>"Right, I think I understand all that," Benny replies, nodding his head again, turning left onto the highway. "And I think I understand what you meant by 'tightly knit' - like a threesome?"</p>
<p>"Eh," Dean replies, teeth clenched as he waves his hand in a <em>so-so</em> motion. "I mean, threesomes are more sex-centric, and a ménage à trois - or throuple, triad, there's a few names for it - are more relationship-centric. Mostly, I like saying triad."</p>
<p>"And how many triads have you been in?"</p>
<p>Dean has to think about that for a second. He knows he's been in three poly relationships, but how many of those were triads? "Uh, two? Or, well one, with a second where it became an option, and then suddenly wasn't an option. That was complicated."</p>
<p>"Complicated?"</p>
<p>Dean grimaces. "Do you remember how I told you about Lisa? Her ex came back, and I sort of thought that was the end of it, but she didn't want to end it with either of us, so I sort of suggested that she dated the both of us. It was just sort of parallel for a while, then he ended up moving in with Lisa, and we were all dating for about six months before Lisa got pregnant. He ended up pushing me out, and I didn't have the energy - I wasn't in the right mental state to fight back, so I left. Ben ended up being his, anyway."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"Don't be. It hurt at the time, but it was… God, it's been almost twenty years ago now. I was about twenty at the time," Dean replies, shrugging his shoulders. "Not long before you moved to town, I saw her, her ex was gone again and we started up another relationship, and I loved them both, her and Ben, but it didn't last long. I understood why she let me leave, but I couldn't get over it." Dean shakes his head, then says, "Anyway, so technically two, the other one lasted six months and the other two got into this huge, earth-shifting fight - about something I can't even remember now - and I refused to pick a side, so we all just sort of… went our separate ways. The other poly relationship I was in was my first, sort of when I figured out that that's how I liked it. I was… god, eighteen? Nineteen? Complete and utter mess. Rhonda Hurley, I started dating her, found out she was in an 'open relationship' with her boyfriend, but still dated her for a year? Then I told her that I wanted to date someone else as well, but she lost her absolute shit at me - I still don't know if it was because I wanted to date someone else as well as her, or if it was because it was a man. So… when it comes right down to it, my  history with relationships - polyamarous and monogamous - has been an absolute shit show."</p>
<p>"Okay…" Benny replies slowly, chewing on his bottom lip, squeezing Dean's knee again. "Well, I'm gonna make how I feel clear then, so this doesn't become part of your dating history shit show: I love you Dean, a dumb amount, and I would do just about anything for you. This? Castiel? Isn't something you need to worry about, and if you want to try a - what did you call it? Triad? - then I'm with you. It's not like Castiel is ugly, and he gave me his number the other night, when we were at yours, we've been talking. He's interesting, and he's intelligent and he's funny - I can see where your feelings came from."</p>
<p>Dean grins, chest growing tight and heart beating rapidly. "Pull over."</p>
<p>Benny blinks over at Dean, eyes wide and confused in the light of the passing street light. He starts pulling off to the side, somewhere safe where they're completely off the street, but still asks, "Why?"</p>
<p>"Because I wanna make out, but I also don't want to crash - cause if you hurt my baby? Forget about it." When Benny has turned off the ignition, Dean unbuckles his seat belt and climbs into Benny's lap, reaching down and holding Benny's face in his hands as he kisses him.</p>
<p>They end up fucking in the back seat, with Dean in Benny's lap, his back against Benny's chest, head twisted uncomfortably so he can kiss him.</p>
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</div>Dean and Benny meet Castiel at the diner in town the next day for lunch, and the first thing Castiel does is mention the marks littering Dean's neck - either because he wants to be a shit, or because he genuinely has no idea what's caused them. But even Castiel can't be that naive, he has to be doing it on purpose.<p>The twitching in the corners of Castiel's mouth makes Dean's mind up.</p>
<p>"Shut up, Benny thinks he's a vampire," Dean tells him, taking the seat next to him while Benny sits across from them. As Dean's picking up the menu to decide what he wants (though he's pretty sure at this point he's been here so many times he doesn't need to bother) Castiel sits the bottle of Starward on the table and nudges it towards Benny. Dean burst into laughter. "Did you go all the way to Billings for that?"</p>
<p>Castiel frowns. "No, Missoula. It took me a while to find it."</p>
<p>"Yeah, because it ships from Australia, Cas," Dean says, still laughing. "Why didn't you-" Dean goes silent for a second when it occurs to him, and Dean feels a bit stupid and delirious. "You went out of your way to find Starward because you wanted Benny to know you're willing to put in effort. Aren't you adorable."</p>
<p>Castiel's cheeks flush so red that it just makes him more adorable, and when Dean expresses his endearment, Castiel hides his face behind a menu and tells him to fuck off. When Dean looks over at Benny he has the bottle in his hand and he's blushing too. Dean realises just how easy it's going to be to get the other two to like each other. </p>
<p>Jo sidles up to the table and while Dean hadn't been expecting to see her, at least not until Christmas, he manages, without stumbling, "Hey asshole, haven't seen you in weeks, sorta hoping you'd gone and died on me."</p>
<p>Jo makes a disgusted face at Dean and says, "Ew, don't talk to me." She then turns to Benny and Castiel, like she's going to ignore him, and while Benny knows Jo, and her and Dean's weird friendship, Castiel doesn't, and he looks unbearably confused.</p>
<p>"I don't know why we decided to come here, she won't even greet her favourite babysitter, how fucking rude." Jo reaches over the table and punches Dean in the shoulder, hard enough that it actually hurts. "Bitch."</p>
<p>"Good enough greeting?" She says before reaching up to poke at Dean's face, then ruffle his hair. "You haven't texted me in weeks, asshole."</p>
<p>"I've been busy, the world doesn't revolve around you, princess."</p>
<p>She makes a confused faces, a frown etched into her forehead, and says, "Since fucking when?" She punches Dean again and turns to Benny to say, "You gotten wise yet?"</p>
<p>Benny rolls his eyes. "Still too old for you, Jo."</p>
<p>"Not to mention he hasn't got a vagina," Dean replies, rolling his eyes, gesticulating with his hands. "Oh! Charlie's single again."</p>
<p>Jo groans and runs her hands over her face. "I've told you this a million fucking times, Dean - Charlie isn't butch, and I'm not a top. And just because we're friends, and the only two lesbians in a small town, does not mean we should be a couple."</p>
<p>Dean bursts into laughter. "Your reaction is literally the only reason I say anything."</p>
<p>Jo rolls her eyes and then turns her face to look at Castiel. "Oh, I'm a sucker for blue eyes. Are you single?"</p>
<p>"Fuck off, Jo," Dean tells her, giving her a sharp grin. "He's taken too."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jo makes a face. "Why are all the pretty ones attracted to himbos?" She shakes her head and pulls out a notebook. "Anyway, what do you assholes want?"</p>
<p>Castiel still looks completely confused and possibly slightly terrified of them both, but he still rattles off his order - a turkey and cranberry sandwich after Dean suggests it - after Dean and Benny have. When Jo's gone, Castiel looks at Dean with wide eyes and says, "What the hell?"</p>
<p>Dean bursts into laughter. "Do you remember Ellen? She owned the Roadhouse before Benny took it over? It's her daughter, Jo."</p>
<p>It takes Castiel a second, but suddenly, understanding and recollection graces his features and he laughs. "The last time I saw Jo she was ten and convinced she was a cat."</p>
<p>"Don't tell her you remember that, she'll try to kick your ass!" Dean chuckles and bumps his shoulder into Castiel's. He turns sad, then, when he realises he hasn't told Castiel about Ellen yet. "Ellen was in the car with Bobby when he lost his leg, yeah? Jo's still sore on it, so don't bring it up and I'll tell you the story later."</p>
<p>Castiel turns very serious and nods his head. "Okay." He stares down at the cup in front of him, turned down on a saucer with a spoon sitting next to it. He turns the cup over then looks up and says, "She would hide me occasionally, when my mother was in a particularly foul mood. She'd let me do my homework in the office."</p>
<p>"She was good like that," Dean replies, reaching down to squeeze Castiel's knee. He looks over at Benny, who's watching them, an unreadable expression on his face. When Benny sees him watching, his mouth turns up into a gentle smile, foot kicking out to touch Dean's shin gently. "Me and Sam would spend the night if John had locked us out of the house and we couldn't find Bobby." Benny's still watching them and Dean wonders if he feels left out of the conversation - a conversation about someone he never met, and only ever heard about through the people around him. </p>
<p>Jo saves them by reappearing with their drinks and the coffee pot. "Hey asshole," Dean says to her. "Do you remember Castiel?"</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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</div>Jo looks over at the man next to Dean with a considering look on her face, before the realisation finally dawns. "Holy shit, right, Castiel, you used to play Barbies with me when I was like, eight." The smile on her face falls and she frowns, then says, "You left before you finished high school, no one would ever tell me why."<p>"Jo," Dean says, shooting her a look.</p>
<p>Castiel replies anyway. "Most likely because everyone was well aware that you were a baby gay and no one wanted you to closet yourself for fear of your mother's rejection. I don't mind, I'd rather it to another child living in fear of being who they are."</p>
<p>Jo looks like she might cry, and she shoves Dean out of the way so she can lean over the table and pull Castiel into a hug. "<em>Aww</em>."</p>
<p>"I probably should've mentioned that she's a hugger," Dean says with a chuckle, watching Jo squeeze Castiel's head into her chest and kiss his hair. "Alright Jo, enough, don't smother him."</p>
<p>As Jo pulls away, she holds onto Castiel's face and says, "You're adorable, I think I'll keep you."</p>
<p>Castiel looks unbelievably confused, brow furrowed, but still takes it in stride, nodding his head slowly. Jo disappears again and Castiel turns to Dean with wide eyes. "She's changed a lot."</p>
<p>"That's the nicest way anyone's said that she's lost her mind," Dean jokes, bumping his shoulder into Castiel's. When he looks at Benny again, he's smiling at them, and Dean's not sure why, but he likes it. Dean turns to Castiel then and says, "Hey, Benny and I've been talking. Wait - do I need to give you the poly talk, too?"</p>
<p>Castiel looks at Dean like he's the biggest dumbass on the planet, one he's entirely too amused with, and Dean's chest clenches. "No, Dean," Castiel says, rolling his eyes. </p>
<p>"Okay, good." Dean wants to ask, but he decides it can wait for now. "Anyway, full disclosure, I was explaining to Benny that I would like if we could explore triad dynamics, but I don't want to do it if it'll make either of you uncomfortable. If all you want is to keep it just you and me, then that's what we'll do."</p>
<p>Castiel's eyes dark to Benny, who's staring down at his coffee, face thoughtful, nodding his head slowly along with Dean's words. When Benny realises Castiel's watching him, he looks up and smiles at him. Castiel looks thoughtful, then, and after a moment of silence, he stares Benny down and says, "Can you get Monday night off?"</p>
<p>Benny's eyes go wide, and looks over at Dean, like he's making sure it's okay, before he says, "Yeah, definitely."</p>
<p>Castiel nods once. "Good. I'm not familiar with things to do in the area anymore, so you'll have to pick the place."</p>
<p>Benny takes his bottom lip between his teeth, the corners of his mouth turned up before he says, "Okay, not a problem." Dean tries really hard not to look smug, he really does, but he can't help it. Benny gives him an unimpressed look, then turns to Castiel to roll his eyes, like they have an inside joke at Dean's expense. </p>
<p>Wait, no, this was a bad idea. They're going to gang up on him, now, this was an awful idea. Fuck.</p>
<p>Dean decides the only way to get the upper hand is to turn to Castiel and says, "He <em>will</em> bite you."</p>
<p>Castiel looks confused for all of two seconds before his face blushes beet-red; and when Dean looks over at Benny the man looks caught between amusement and downright exasperation. Dean leans back into the seat with his arms crossed over his chest and his mouth quirked up into another smug smile. </p>
<p>Dean then says - because he loves to dig himself deeper, "And don't think I've forgotten the way you looked when Baby and muscle cars were brought up. I have all the cards." The flush on Castiel's cheeks gets deeper, before, with a look that just screams trouble, he tilts his head to the side, and says something, in what Dean assumes is Czech.</p>
<p>Dean tries very hard not to react like a dumbass, and mostly succedes, except he can feel how hot his cheeks are, and there's a warmth growing in his gut. He makes a face at Castiel, and is about to ask him what he's said, when Benny, the fucker, decides he thinks this is the funniest thing ever, and that he's going to join in on the teasing. The only word Dean recognises is <em>rougir</em> - blush - because he's just about positive Benny uses it everytime they fuck, but Castiel must understand the rest because his eyes go wide and he lets out a startled laugh.</p>
<p>"Do you speak French, Castiel?" Benny asks, and he has the good sense to look at least a little embarrassed. </p>
<p>Castiel looks like he can decide if he's amused or embarrassed himself, a light flush at the top of his cheeks. "Enough to know what rougir and cul means… yes."</p>
<p>Dean is either going to burst into flames, or murder the both of them. </p>
<p>Benny has the balls to say something else, eyes flicking between Dean and Castiel, and Dean doesn't understand any of it, only that it makes Castiel's face heat further. Dean's belly feels warm, and he ignores it in favour of catching Benny's eye to give him an exasperated frown, mouth drawn into a tight line. Because Benny is a fucking child, he pokes his tongue  out at Dean in retaliation. </p>
<p>"I hate you both, by the way, and I've changed my mind, I don't want to date either of you," Dean announces. He pretends to ignore them then, and only speaks when Jo brings over their food. "You are an angel sent from heaven, Joanna Beth, and because these two are  losers, and they're pissing me off, you and me are running away together."</p>
<p>Jo leans over the table and grins, "Aces, where to, il capitano?"</p>
<p>"<em>Oh, Canada</em>," Dean begins to sing before bursting into laughter, his head falling into Jo's arm. "Or somewhere in the tropics, like Brazil or Bora Bora - actually I take that back, I wouldn't get in a demon metal bird for you or a tropical climate." Someone calls Jo's name from the back and she punches his shoulder and jogs away to answer it, leaving Dean alone with Benny and Castiel again. "See, at least someone appreciates me."</p>
<p>"Oh brother, I appreciate you," Benny replies, mouth twisted into a smirk. "I was only mentioning the parts of you I appreciate the most to Castiel."</p>
<p>Dean makes an ugly choking nose, Castiel must take pity on him, because he says, "Benny was only telling me that your freckles - rousseurs - extend well past your face. And before that, he'd been teasing you about the way you flush - rougir - down your entire body. Cul means… well it's a rather vulgar term for someone's rear."</p>
<p>"Holy shit, Benny, you horny fuck, we're in public," Dean tells Benny with a snort, shaking his head with an exasperated eyeroll. </p>
<p>"Speaking of horny, fuck and public," Benny begins, which only serves to make Dean worried about Benny's next words. He turns the exasperated look into one of worry and mild threat and levels it on Benny, who only shrugs it off. "You didn't put out on the first date, cher. Who are you and what have you done with Dean Winchester?"</p>
<p>Dean groans loudly, moving his plate forward and bracing his arms on the table, hiding his face in them. "I'm never sleeping with you again." He mutters, angling a kick to Benny's shin under the table, only feeling minutely better when Benny swears. When Dean looks over at Castiel, his eyes are wide, and he's blinking a lot, like he's trying to process what's just been said. "Please, for the love of God, ignore him. He thinks he's funny, he's fucking not."</p>
<p>"I…" Castiel says, tilting his head to the side, eyebrows stitched together into a frown. "I wouldn't have been opposed."</p>
<p>Dean sits up instantly, his brain short circuiting. "Uh…" </p>
<p>"Look, you've broken him." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Benny's laughter is sharp, and it's doing awesome things to the warmth brewing in Dean's gut. Jesus Christ. "I swear to God, both of you need to stop right now."</p>
<p>Benny's eyes go wide, and his grin grows as he leans across the table to whisper to Castiel, "Is he hard?" Castiel, the bastard, looks over at Dean, before fucking nodding, his own mouth tilted up at the corners. </p>
<p>"I take absolutely everything back, you two are a bad combination, I'm moving to Bora Bora with Jo."</p>
<p>They laugh at him, and he ignores them in favour of his burger and fries, eating his lunch as passive-aggressively as he possibly can, shooting them glares every once in a while.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning for NSFW fanart &amp; written content.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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</div><em>Don't be mad</em>, says the text Dean receives as he's heading to bed on Wednesday night. It's from Benny, and it's almost eleven, so Dean suspects he's just ended his date with Castiel and has done something to warrant annoyance, possibly anger. Dean settles into bed and is just about to text Benny back when Benny starts typing again. <em>Uh… I gave Castiel a blowjob?</em><p>Dean chokes on his spit and heat burns through his body. He thinks Benny might have been worried that he got there first despite Dean being first in, and that Dean might be mad, but he isn't, in fact he replies with, <em>please for the love of god tell me you took video.</em></p><p>
  <em>No, Dean, I didn't.</em>
</p><p><em>well im mad at you NOW</em>, he replies before getting out of his texts with Benny and into his texts with Castiel. did he do that thing with his teeth and his tongue????</p><p>Benny and Castiel reply at the same time, and Dean's still in his text history with Castiel so he stays there and reads his message, <em>HOW IN THE HELL</em>. Dean bursts into laughter and simply replies, <em>right????</em> before moving onto Benny's text.</p><p>
  <em>I promise to record it next time you pervert.</em>
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  <em>fuck that, next time ill be there watching.</em>
</p><p>By the time he's gone back to his text history with Castiel, Castiel has replied: first with a string of emojis - the ones with the crossed out eyes, mouth in an o shape, the one that's smirking, the one with a squiggly line for a mouth and the one that's blushing - and then with, <em>I'm keeping him only because of that thing.</em></p><p>Dean bursts into laughter and replies, <em>what about me???</em></p><p>
  <em>I was keeping you anyway, your blowjob skills aren't conditional.</em>
</p><p>He's still laughing when he moves back into his texts with Benny to see that the man has sent him a picture of his dick, hard in his sweatpants, and then, <em>Thinking about it is making me hard again. Also, his dick?</em> He's followed it up with the winking emoji, the smirking emoji and the drooling emoji. Benny never uses emojis, and it's probably more hilarious that he has because he had more feelings than he could put into words. Just as he's about to reply, Benny has texted again. <em>Gagged a bit going down.</em></p><p>Dean makes another choking noise, and the heat in his gut has morphed into a full blown hard on. He reaches down and gets his hand around the shape of it, groaning at the touch. Benny's trying to convince Dean to get off with him, or call him over to fuck, and Dean's more than ready to agree when his phone buzzes with a text from Castiel. He's convinced then that they're conspiring against him, because Castiel has written, <em>The practice with you is likely what made him so good at it.<em></em></em></p><p>
  <em>Dean rolls onto his stomach and groans with his face pressed into his pillow, grinding his hips against the mattress to get some damned relief before he rolls back over. He creates a text channel with the both of them and writes, <em>either quit ganging up on me, or fucking get over here and do something about it.</em></em>
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  <em>Dean's not sure what he was expecting, for them to back out, maybe? Or maybe for them to continue to tease him, because they're both terrible people? Neither happen. Instead, he gets a text from Castiel that says, <em>I can be there in five minutes<em>, and then one from Benny immediately afterwards that says, <em>You better be serious, cause I'm on my way.</em></em></em></em>
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      <em>Dean face goes hot, cheeks aflame, and then he thinks to himself: fuck it, and types out a message and sends it to the both of them. <em>hurry the fuck up.</em></em>
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      <em>He climbs out of bed and takes the three empty coffee mugs from his bedside table into the kitchen before waiting at the front door. Benny's first, and he tugs Dean over by his collar for a hard kiss immediately after Dean's pulled the door open pressing him up against the entryway wall. He licks into Dean's mouth, holding him tightly around the hips, and Dean thinks very seriously about staying right here and having his damned way with Benny, but he pushes him away instead.</em>
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      <em>"Go away, don't break anything," Dean tells Benny sternly, pointing towards the back of the house. Benny, the smug bastard, reaches down to grope Dean's ass before disappearing down the hallway.</em>
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      <em>The kiss Castiel bestows on Dean when he arrives, not long after Benny, isn't as rough and consuming, but it's no less passionate, and Dean has to hold onto Castiel's shoulders so he doesn't do something stupid like melt into a puddle. Dean kicks the door shut and holds Castiel by the face, kissing him until Benny yells from where he's disappeared to.</em>
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      <em>When they pull apart, Castiel's mouth turns up into a small grin. He pulls his hand away from the back of Dean's neck and makes his way down the hallway, following the shine of orange light from Dean's bedside lamp into Dean's bedroom. He takes a moment before he makes his own way to the bedroom, knowing the longer he waits, the more likely it is that he'll find them doing something that'll make the wait completely worth the entrance. </em>
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      <em>The wait was more than worth it, because when Dean steps through the doorway he can see Benny sitting on the edge of the bed down to nothing but his briefs (fucking hell he's fast) and Castiel leaning over him, hand braced on Benny's shoulder so he doesn't fall over as he kisses him. </em>
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      <em>Dean just sort of stands there and watches them for a while; they aren't a bad sight, not at all. He wants to commit the vision of Benny, almost naked and flushed, and Castiel, fully clothed and standing over Benny, to his memory. His erection had flagged while he was waiting, but it's slowly growing again, coming back in full force when Castiel reaches down to take one of Benny's nipples between his fingers. He pinches, gently, and Benny groans deep in his throat. It took Dean weeks to figure out how much Benny liked it when someone pinched or bit him there, and he feels like he should be mad at how quickly Castiel realised, but <em>goddamn</em> he's far too aroused to be angry.</em>
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      <em>Benny pushes at Castiel's shoulder and pulls their mouths apart to shoot an amused look over at Dean. "Might want to get a move on if you want any, or I'll keep him all to myself, cher."</em>
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      <em>A warmth rushes down Dean's body, like warm coffee slipping down his throat and he shivers. He reaches back and tugs his shirt over his head, throwing it towards the hamper in the corner of the room before he climbs up onto the bed behind Benny. He slides his arms over Benny's shoulders and leaves them to dangle there, resting his chin on top of Benny's head, mouth turned up into a sharp smile as he eyes Castiel. Castiel looks like he's not quite sure what to make of them - stock still in front of them with dilated pupils and a bulge in the crotch of his ridiculous plaid pyjama bottoms.</em>
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      <em>Dean licks his lips to wet them and Castiel's eyes follow the movement before he's coming forward, hand cupping Dean's cheek and pulling him up and forward to kiss him. Castiel tastes like maple syrup and coffee, and Dean's tongue licks into his mouth to seek the flavours out, taking them for himself. Dean can hear Benny breathing heavily below them, and with one of the arms dangling over Benny's shoulder he reaches down and palms the hardness in his briefs. Benny lets out a stuttered breath and Dean grins into the kiss with Castiel, squeezing again.</em>
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      <em>When he and Castiel pull apart, Dean's mouth is red and sore, and Castiel's doesn't look much better. He's still got his hand over Benny's crotch but he hasn't squeezed him again, he's just left his hand there, a warm weight against Benny's cock. Dean licks his lips again, and settles his chin over Benny's hair one more time before saying, "Shirt. Off." Castiel doesn't move for a long moment, so Dean guiltily and nervously tacks on, "Please."</em>
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      <em>Castiel does take his shirt off then, pulling it up over his head and leaving it on the carpet at his feet. There's something peeking around his biceps, a tattoo that Dean can't quite make out, so he climbs away from Benny and reaches forward to pull Castiel's arm across so he can see it. They're either leaves or feathers, but Dean can't quite get a proper look, so he has to poke Castiel's shoulder incessantly until he turns around, snorting and rolling his eyes as he goes. He does go willingly though.</em>
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      <em>They were feathers, set into a pair of wings that sprout from between his shoulder blades and stretch to Castiel's forearm and the dip of his waist, reaching just above the waistband of his pyjamas. </em>
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      <em>"Cas, holy shit, you have wings." Dean reaches up and presses his hand over Castiel's spine, tracing his fingers over the shape of feathers. The shoulder bone of the wings curves over Castiel's own shoulders, and as he's looking at the shape of it, Benny's hand appears and curves around Castiel's upper bicep, thumb reaching up to trace the shape. "It's beautiful, Cas, must've taken forever."</em>
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      <em>When Castiel speaks his voice is low and deep, rough, "Five hours for the line art, thirteen for the shading. Had to do it in four increments."</em>
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      <em>"Is this the only one you have?" Benny asks, and his voice is gruff, too.</em>
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      <em>Castiel shakes his head, then turns around to face them. The look on his face is one of smug determination, and then, like a challenge, he says, "You'll have to find out, won't you?"</em>
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      <em>Dean does love a challenge. </em>
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      <em>He climbs from the bed in a far more fluid motion then he ever thought himself capable of, stands in front of Castiel for a second, tilting his head down just for long enough to grin sharply at him before dropping to his knees in the carpet. He's not twenty anymore, and the carpet wasn't all that comfortable to begin with, but he pushes that to the back of his mind, reaching forward to hook his fingers in the waistband of Castiel's pants. He pauses a moment, looks up at Castiel for permission before pushing the pants down when he gets a rushed nod.</em>
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      <em>Castiel does have other tattoos - two that Dean can see - the head of a lion, surrounded by flowers Dean doesn't recognise on Castiel's calf and a snake curled with the same flowers around Castiel's thigh, some of it disappearing underneath his briefs. As Dean's tracing the images, mesmerised by the detail, Castiel's hand reaches down and points at the one on his thigh. "Jack." Then, after a moment, he points to the one on his calf. "Claire." When his hand disappears again, Dean turns his face up to look at him. He's reaching over his shoulder, petting at the tattoo there, and says, "Me."</em>
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      <em>He almost looks sad, and Dean's about to stand again when Benny reaches over and kisses him. Dean gets distracted (he likes this angle much better), and forgets about the tattoos as he watches them kiss. He slides his hand from the tattoo on Castiel's thigh up to the band of Castiel's briefs, digging his fingers underneath it and and tugging just enough to get his attention, scratching his nail over Castiel's hip until the man give a full body shiver and a small groan, swallowed by Benny's mouth. Castiel's hand reaches down again and begins to push the clothing away until Dean gets the idea and pulls them down to his ankles. </em>
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      <em>Benny wasn't exaggerating. No man needs this much dick. It's plump and bulging, veins thick, and so hard in Dean's hand when he reaches forward for it, it's practically rock. Dean's a big enough man to admit that when he touches it - imagines putting it in his mouth like Benny had, taking the broad girth of it inside his body - his brain completely short circuits and he's left sitting there, staring at the thing, drooling, until a hand reaches down and tilts his face up so he's looking at Benny and Castiel. It's Benny's hand, twisted at an odd angle to get it on Dean's cheek, and when Dean looks over him the smile on his face is sharp and smug.</em>
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      <em>Benny says something in French that Dean doesn't understand - but Castiel seems to, cock jumping in Dean's hand - and Dean's entire body wracks with a shiver that makes his veins feel like molten lava. After a moment, Benny continues in English, voice and accent thick, which does absolutely nothing to help the fire raging in Dean's belly. "Stupid big, ain't it? Gonna get your mouth on him, cher?”</em></em></em></p>
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</div><em><br/>  <em><br/>    <em>Dean doesn't hesitate then, surging forward to fit his mouth around the head of Castiel's cock. It stretches his lips, but not uncomfortably, so he surges forward a little more. He sucks on the flesh in his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks, tasting the precome at the slit of his cock with the very tip of his tongue. Castiel's legs buckle just a bit, and he braces his hand on Dean's shoulder to keep himself up like he had with Benny when they'd kissed on the edge of the bed. </em><br/>  </em><br/></em><br/><p>
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      <em>The throb in Dean's cock matches the energetic flutter of his heartbeat in his chest. He reaches down to squeeze himself through his pants, then through his briefs, until he pushes the waistband down. He takes Castiel down too far (fuck him for 'too far' being half way down his cock - he <em>likes</em> deepthroating) and chokes, pulling off to catch his breath, forehead pressed to Castiel's hip. Benny still has his hand on Dean's cheek, but he moves it then to take Castiel's cock into it, squeezing around the head with the circle of his thumb and forefinger. Castiel makes a truly pathetic, but <em>unbelievably</em> arousing whimpering noise, legs buckling again, and Dean slides his hands up to Castiel's hips to hold him steady.</em>
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</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean's own knees are starting to ache, and rather than pushing through the pain of an old age that he really would rather not think about, he climbs back to his feet, joints cracking loudly. He has to sort of side step the other two as he stands, leaving him beside the two as they kiss, Benny's hand around Castiel's cock. God Dean really, really wishes he could take a picture, he'd get off to this for the rest of his life. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny and Castiel's mouths pull apart as he's watching them, and they turn in tandem to look at him - the heat in their eyes, their expressions almost identical. Dean's gut bursts into flames with an instant swooping feeling.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny's hand is still around Castiel's cock, thumb swiping lazily over the hardened flesh, and Dean's so concentrated on watching the repetitive strokes of it that he almost misses Benny saying, "What do you want Dean?"</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean feels a bit dizzy, and a lot aroused, and he wants just about <em>everything</em>, but not a single thing comes to mind in that moment, so he replies, "I'm a bisexual switch Benny, I haven't  made a single decision in my entire life, so you're gonna have to pick up the slack." Benny's grin is sharp like shark teeth, like a wolf staring down it's dinner, and there's a swooping in Dean's gut that makes his knees feel weak. When Dean looks over at Castiel, the other man's face is lit up with an idea, one he seems too worried to voice. "I think Castiel has an idea.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel's cheeks flush with a cocktail of embarrassment and arousal, and with Dean and Benny's expectant looks turned on him he finally says, "Well, we could perhaps try… I mean if you want to…"</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny laughs, "Spit it out bluebird, ain't got all night."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel's blush deepens, cheeks going redder. "Intercrural sex."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny tilts his head, brow furrowed into a deep frown, and Dean laughs at him. "He means thigh fucking, Benny."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny's face morphs into a look of understanding, then into confusion again. "Why didn't you just say that?"</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel's cheeks redden even more, and Dean's pretty sure he's about to turn into a tomato. "Probably because he was nervous, and too anxious to tell us he didn't think he was ready to have penatretive sex tonight. Right?"</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel nods vigorously. "Hit the nail on the head."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean grins brightly and pats Castiel's cheek gently. "The question then becomes, do you mind if I fuck Benny or vice versa?"</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel screws up his mouth while he thinks (which is actually adorable, what the fuck), then finally after a long moment, shakes his head. "No, I don't mind."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean's smile widens and he leans forward to press a kiss to Castiel's mouth, then to Benny's before he says, "Awesome," and climbs up onto the bed again. "Well, you two'll have to figure out how you wanna play it, I'm too bi for this shit."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny rolls his eyes then asks Castiel, "You got a preference?" Castiel thinks about for a moment, then shakes his head. Benny nods, then looks back over at Dean on the bed. "Move over, cher. Bluebird, lie on the bed."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean would never admit it, but he's pretty sure he's in love with dom Benny, even if BDSM has really never been his thing. He thinks he just likes it when Benny bosses him around with that voice that feels like honey-whiskey sliding down Dean's back. Dean moves over and Castiel takes his spot in the middle of the bed, laying back against the pillows. Dean takes the opportunity to lean over and kiss him again, licking into his mouth until they're both panting. He takes Castiel's face in the palm of his hand and deepens the kiss, cock throbbing between his legs as Castiel groans into his mouth.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean pulls away from Castiel when he realises that he has seen or heard hide nor hair of Benny for a while, and turns to look for him. He's still at the end of the bed, one leg braced on the mattress, his briefs gone, and it takes Dean a second to realise what he's doing with his arm twisted behind his back because he's really only using his little brain now and he's stupid. Dean can see the jerk of Benny's hand as he fucks himself open on his fingers, and what little blood he had left in his brain drops to his cock, which gives a sharp twitch, a thick drop of precome bubbling from the slit and rolling down the length of it.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Jesus, <em>fuck</em>."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel leans up on his elbows to watch too, and when Dean's flick over to him, he's chewing on his bottom lip and the blush on his cheeks is spreading down his chest. His nipples are hard and Dean leans down to take one into his mouth, laving at it with his tongue, scraping his teeth over it before moving over to give the other the same treatment as Castiel groans. When he's done he looks back over at Benny who's watching them, just as he's pulling his fingers from his body, shiny with lube. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Logistics…" Benny says, almost to himself as he finds the lube at the end of the mattress and a condom packet, climbing onto the bed with Dean and Castiel. "Did you want to fuck my thighs, or the other way around, cause we can do either, but figuring out how to get both you and Dean down there."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel thinks about it, mouth twisted to the side, then says, "Come here." Benny, for what Dean is sure is the first time ever, does as he's told, climbing on top of Castiel, knees between Castiel's thighs. "Sit back a bit, I don't think this will go well if I kick you in the face."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Probably not," Benny says with a chuckle, sitting back on his heels. Castiel gets his right leg on the other side of Benny to join his left, bending them at the knee so his feet are planted in the mattress. Dean thinks he's getting the idea, but Benny looks confused. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel waits, like he's trying to get Benny to figure it out on his own, but Benny's thick as a plank sometimes, especially when his dick's hard, so Castiel sighs and rolls his eyes, amused. "Cover my thighs in lube, Benny, then put my knees over your shoulder."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny jerks into action, leaning forward to hand the condom to Dean before flipping open the cap of the lube and squeezing the slick out over Castiel's thighs. He's used too much, Dean can see Castiel's skin dripping with it, but neither seem to care as Benny gets Castiel's knees over his shoulder. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny looks over at Dean expectantly then, and it takes him a second to figure out that he wants Dean to get his ass into gear. Maybe Dean ain't all that smart either. He tears open the condom wrapper and rolls the condom onto his cock before sliding up behind Benny. He slides his hand down Benny's back, tracing the shape of the knobs of his spine before reaching the curve of his ass. He swipes a thumb over Benny's hole, feels the slick of lube and groans at the sensation, pressing his forehead to Benny's shoulder blade. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>He angles his body to one side of Benny, away from Castiel's feet so <em>he</em> doesn't get kicked in the face, then takes a hold of his cock and slips the head inside Benny's body. Benny must have been holding his breath, cause it comes out all in a rush of air, his head hanging between his shoulders. Over Benny Dean can see Castiel's face, skin ruddy, eyes wide as he watches them. Benny waits until Dean's cock has bottomed out inside of him before he slides his own between Castiel's thighs, holding his knees together tightly to form a vice around his cock.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean's thrusts start slow but deep, the way Benny likes - he's been fucking the man so long he's not sure there's a single thing about the way Benny likes sex that Dean doesn't know. He keeps the same pace, grinding his hips in, roughly enough that Benny's cock is shoved further between Castiel's thighs. He only speeds his thrusts up when Benny begins, fucking back and forth between Dean and Castiel, back onto Dean's cock, forward between Castiel's legs. Benny makes a wet choking sound when Dean shoves hard into him, hands grasping at Benny's hips to keep himself steady.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>With the angle, and the way Castiel moans every time Benny thrusts in, even though Dean can't see it he suspects that Benny's cock is snubbing up against Castiel's. The thought sends a shock wave of heat throughout Dean's body and he picks up the kick of his hips, fucking into Benny's body harder.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean comes first, which is kind of embarrassing, but the orgasm is so strong - washing over him like waves of the ocean, pulling him under - that he really can't find it in himself to care. He bites into the flesh of Benny's shoulder, making sure it's hard enough that a mark will be left in its place, and moans a strange concoction of Benny and Castiel's names as he fills the condom with his seed. Benny's body is squeezing around Dean, and Dean knows the man's doing it on purpose, milking the orgasm from his body.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean doesn't stay inside Benny any longer - he hates the uncomfortable tingle of oversensitivity when he's inside someone, especially when that someone is still moving and hasn't even come yet. He removes the condom, ties it off and throws it in the general direction of his trash can before flopping beside the other two, onto his belly. Castiel's watching Dean, even while Benny is fucking between his thighs, and Dean surges forward to kiss him, reaching down to see if he can get his hand squeezed between Castiel's body and limbs. He gets his fist around Castiel's cockhead and grips it tightly, thumbing over the slit. Castiel's head falls back, mouth detaching from Dean's as he whines deep in his throat. He's so close to coming he's shaking with it, his entire body vibrating, and Dean squeezes him again, tries to get him there.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Evidently, Benny comes before he can, thrusts becoming aborted before they finally stop altogether, warmth spilling over Dean's hand as he spurts, muttering something half English and half French into the crook of Castiel's knee that includes their names. He lowers Castiel's legs gently to the bed and moves away so he can sit back, panting heavily as he tries to catch his breath. Castiel's lower body, his thighs and his groin, his belly and his cock, Dean's hand, are all covered in droplets of Benny's come, and Benny makes a sheepish face.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Should've worn a rubber."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Well, then I would've been able to do this." </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean gives the two a sharp grin and takes his hand away from Castiel's cock (with a whine of complaint from Castiel), lifting it to his face. He opens his mouth and lets his tongue fall out, and uses it to suck his thumb - covered in Benny's come - between his lips. Both men have gone silent, panting and red as they stare at Dean, licking each finger into his mouth one at a time, sucking the bitter salt of Benny's come into his throat. Once he's finished with his fingers he licks a long stripe over the back of his hand, almost like a cat would when it's cleaning itself (which, ironic), licking the last of his come up.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel and Benny are mesmerized, which Dean would not bother to deny that he loves. He moves between Castiel's legs, spreading them apart with his knees so he can settle between them before lowering his mouth and licking up the come on Castiel's thigh. Castiel's whole body jerks and a heavy groan erupts from his throat. A large hand that Dean recognises as Benny's settles onto the back of his head and follows him when he moves onto the come on Castiel's belly. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean cleans every part of Castiel of come until he reaches his cock, tiny droplets of it over the head and down near the base. Dean starts at the base, licking at Castiel with a flat tongue - holding him down with a hand on his hip when he begins to squirm - before making his way up, fitting his head around the very tip of Castiel's cock. Castiel groans Dean's name, hand reaching down to join Benny's, fingers tighter in Dean's hair than Benny's. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean blinks up to look at the two of them, mouth stretched wide and obscene around as much of Castiel as he can before he moves his hands away from Castiel's hips. He gives Benny a <em>look</em>, one he hopes he understands. When Benny's pupils dilate and a stutter of breath is torn from his throat, he knows he does.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Cas, angel, fuck his mouth."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel's eyes turn to Dean's and he looks unsure for a long time, eyes wide, so Dean does his best to nod, so he knows that it's alright.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Not too far, don't want to choke him, he doesn't like it as much as I do," Benny whispers, sliding closer to Castiel's side. His hand goes tighter in Dean's hair and he pulls him up so only the tip is still between Dean's lips, so Castiel has room to thrust.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>And he does. Slowly at first, shallow thrusts that barely pass Dean's mouth before he gets a little more confident, and thrusts faster, still careful not to take Dean too deeply. Even from the first thrust, his hips aren't steady, so close he's still shaking and Dean takes Castiel's balls and one of his nipples into his hands, stroking and squeezing rhythmically. Castiel comes when Benny's lips circle his other nipple, back arching almost violently, come spurting into Dean's mouth, down the back on his throat. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>"Fuck, fuck, fuck, <em>fuck</em>." Dean's not sure he's ever heard Castiel swear this much, and it makes the abated heat in his belly resurge for just one bright, shining moment. "<em>Fuck</em> Benny, <em>Dean</em>."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Dean lifts his mouth from Castiel's cock and swallows the slick in his mouth before crawling up so he's over Castiel, carefully lowering himself on top of him. He kisses Benny first, only because he's the closest, having stolen Castiel's mouth in a kiss while Dean was still between his legs. Benny licks into his mouth roughly, like he's chasing the taste of Castiel and Dean lets him before poking him away so he can kiss Castiel too.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>When he's taken his fill of both men he collapse back onto the bed on the opposite side of Castiel to Benny, groaning out, "Fuck, I'm beat. I need a shower, then I need to sleep for a million years. I'd say you could share the shower with me, but Benny knows how I feel about sharing the shower."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Benny chuckles, "You can share the shower with me, Cas."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>There's a smile on Castiel's face when Dean leans up to look at him, and one on Benny's too - they're both directed at <em>him</em>. "Be my guest, I'll make something to eat, I could kill a grilled cheese."</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Later, after showering and dressing in a mixture of Dean and Benny's clothes (the hoodie Castiel is wearing might actually be Sam's) they eat grilled cheese with tomato and ham in bed, TV playing Dr Sexy reruns in the background. Dean has to explain most of the plot of the show to Castiel (Benny's so used to watching it with Dean by now that even if he doesn't understand, he doesn't bother asking anyway, it's unlikely to ever make any sense), but he doesn't mind at all. </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>Castiel and Benny stay the night, the three curled around each other in a tangle of limbs as they sleep.</em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div>That Friday Dean goes back to the bar, actually on time for once. The start of his shift is completely uneventful, and he's in the middle of whining to Charlie about how bored he is when Castiel catches his eye, smiling at him from one of the tables near the rarely-used stage. He's sitting with two teenagers - the one he suspects is Claire has curly yellow-blonde hair and looks like the lead singer of the world's worst punk pop band, and the one he suspects is Jack has dirty blonde hair that flops over his eyes, and he's wearing a burgundy corduroy jacket with a wool collar that looks just a little too big on him, and has enough wear and tear that he suspects it was Castiel's before it was Jack's. When Dean gets closer, the two turn their faces to look up at him, and he realises they share the same eyes, both a pale wintery blue with a ring of something darker around the edges. Their eyes are so similar to Castiel's eyes that Dean could almost mistake them as the same.<p>"Hey, Cas," Dean greets, smiling brightly at him. He really wants to lean down and kiss him, but he's not sure if Castiel's had that particular conversation with his kids yet, or even if he had, if he felt comfortable kissing Dean or Benny in front of them. So instead, he just stares at Castiel's mouth for a stupid amount of time, thinking about the last time he kissed Castiel, before he finally looks away. He shoots a smile at Castiel's kids and says, "You guys must be Claire and Jack. I'm Dean."</p>
<p>Claire nods at him before going back to her phone, which Dean just finds hilarious, and Jack greets him a bit like a puppy would, grin wide and eyes bright as he asks Dean five questions and compliments his shirt (the one that says <em>if you're going to be salty, bring the tequila</em>) before Dean can get a word in. </p>
<p>"Jack, take a breath," Castiel tells the teenager with a chuckle, catching Dean's eyes and rolling his own. The urge to kiss him does not go away, at all. </p>
<p>"Let me see if I remember all of those questions. I've known your dad for most of my life, we went to school together... my favourite colour is blue... sometimes I play first person shooter like Call of Duty with my friend but I prefer RPG's… uhh… I like Christmas the best… what was the last one?"</p>
<p>"Do you have a boyfriend? My dad needs one."</p>
<p>That most definitely was <em>not</em> the question. Dean lets out a startled laugh and Castiel makes a choking noise, face flaming red.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, bud, I'm on it," Dean says, which only makes Castiel blush darker and hide his face in his hands. Claire is looking up now, head tilted to the side in a perfect replica of Castiel's confused head tilt and he just shoots her a smile, which she rolls her eyes at. </p>
<p>"Hey, Claire, Dean has a '67 Impala," Castiel says after clearing his throat, no doubt in an attempt to move the conversation away from his love life.</p>
<p>Claire perks up at that, and actually puts her phone down on the table, though it's still unlocked and open to Instagram. "Four door or two door?"</p>
<p>"Series 64 V8 HardTop Sedan."</p>
<p>Her eyes go wide and she says, "It has a V8? God, I have to hear it."</p>
<p>Dean looks over at Castiel who's watching their interaction, before he says, "I don't have to work tomorrow, you guys can come over and see her if it's okay with Cas." Castiel's mouth turns up into brilliant smile, one that makes Dean's stupid gut do kickflips, before he nods. "Awesome, come round whenever. Has anyone taken your order, yet? Cause I'll take it and go back to the bar before Benny fires me."</p>
<p>"He likes you too much to fire you," Castiel says, a cheeky smile on his face. The implication is clear, and Dean tries really hard not to react, because he's sure he'll say something stupid about Benny's dick, and children really shouldn't be hearing those things. He is thinking about Benny's dick though, and then he's thinking about Castiel's dick, and he gets a bit distracted until Castiel pokes him in the hip. "We haven't ordered yet."</p>
<p>Dean finds the notebook in his back pocket and writes down their orders - the chicken burger for Claire, the vegan bolognese for Jack and another chicken burger and onion rings for Castiel. He takes the order to the register, prints off a kitchen receipt and takes it to the kitchen, calling it out for Charlie before leaving the receipt on one of the pins. He makes a couple of drinks for patrons sitting at the bar, keeping an eye on Castiel and his kids every now and then, before Benny finally appears carrying a crate of clean glasses. </p>
<p>Benny slides around Dean to get to the glasses rack and Dean says, "Jack just asked me to be Castiel's boyfriend."</p>
<p>Benny lets out a startled laugh, leaving the crate on the counter as he begins stacking the glasses in the rack with the other clean ones. "And what did you say?"</p>
<p>"That I was working on it, cause I am." Dean reaches over and hooks his fingers in the belt loops of Benny's pants. "You working on it?"</p>
<p>Benny looks over at Dean, raises an eyebrow, then rolls his eyes. He doesn't give Dean a proper answer, just says, "See if he wants to do dinner on Thursday. S'the next free night I can take."</p>
<p>Dean grins brightly and nods his head, taking his fingers out of Benny's belt loops, helping him with the last of the glasses. "Hey, mind if I take my dinner break?"</p>
<p>"Serve Lionel then get lost," Benny tells him, pointing at the old man at the end of the bar, waving his empty glass insistently. The man's in almost every night and Benny knows Dean hates him. </p>
<p>Dean pours Lionel another beer then turns back to the kitchen window to see if there are any orders he can take out before he goes back to Castiel and his kids. Jack's vegan bolognese is on the counter, as well as Castiel's onion rings and a chicken burger with no mushroom from another table. He takes all three, leaving the chicken burger in front of a kid who can't be much older than six, sitting at the table with his mom and dad. Dean doesn't recognise them, so he suspects they're travelling. </p>
<p>He sets the plates in front of Castiel and Jack just as Josephine is bringing over the two chicken burgers. He falls into the empty fourth chair next to Castiel and pokes him in the shoulder. "Boy's night on Thursday, you in?"</p>
<p>Castiel opens his mouth to answer, but Jack beats him to it. "I'm a boy, can I come?"</p>
<p>"Adult boys, Jack," Castiel tells him. </p>
<p>Jack looks so distraught then that Dean says, "Tomorrow, when you guys come over you and me, go a few rounds on the PlayStation, deal? Maybe we can convince Claire and your dad to join."</p>
<p>"You said you like COD, do you have Black Ops? I like the zombies."</p>
<p>"Me too, bud. We can play Black Ops," Dean tells him, smiling cheerily before turning back to Castiel. Castiel has a pink flush on his cheeks and he's smiling fondly at Dean. "So, Thursday?" Castiel nods. "Awesome. Anyway, I have to go take my dinner break, flag down Josephine if you need anything."</p>
<p>"You can have dinner with us!" Jack says, smile so bright that Dean thinks it might blind him. God this kid is adorable, like a little puppy.</p>
<p>Dean looks over at Castiel who's flushed over his cheekbones, shooting him a questioning look. Castiel shrugs his shoulders then says, "I don't mind. Claire?"</p>
<p>Claire looks up from her phone. "Yeah sure, as long as he shows me a picture of the car."</p>
<p>Dean laughs. "You got a deal. Let me just go get food." He climbs away from the table and goes through the back hallway to the kitchen. Charlie gives him a bowl of the jambalaya and he pours himself a drink at the bar before going back to the table. When he sits down Claire gives him an expectant look, so Dean just laughs and opens his phone up, finds his favourite picture of his Baby and hands the phone over to her. </p>
<p>"Original paint?"</p>
<p>Dean shakes his head. "Nah, got into an accident in 2004, had to rebuild her. She's in Black Onyx, she started with Ebony Black, but they discontinued it in 2001, something about the fumes and cancer," he tells her, shrugging his shoulders. "Had to replace the seats, too. Got leather imported and stitched her up myself." He feels proud of the job he did rebuilding her then, and can recognise now that spending 24/7 on her after an accident that fucked his leg and almost killed both his brothers wasn't the best coping mechanism, but it certainly wasn't any worse than the bender he went on after his dad died. </p>
<p>"Same engine? Or was that destroyed?" Claire asks, handing Dean's phone back to him.</p>
<p>"Had to replace it, but my uncle Bobby has a junkyard and we found an engine in one of the broken down Impalas. It's where I found the replacement seats, too." Out of the corner of Dean's eye he can see Castiel and turns to grin at him. </p>
<p>"My friend's mom has a Mustang that doesn't run anymore, but she wont get rid of it. I reckon I could fix it up, if she'd only give it to me," Claire pouts, arms crossed over her chest, like a petulant eight year old and Dean has a hard time keeping the laugh in. </p>
<p>"Does it just not start? Or does it make a noise when you try to start it?"</p>
<p>Claire sits up a bit straighter, eyes narrowed on Dean. "It doesn't start."</p>
<p>"What year is it?" When Claire tells him that it was made in 1960, Dean tries to remember the usual causes of an engine that won't start in a car made that long ago. It's hard without being able to see the engine, but he had a '58 Mustang in a few months ago with an alternator that hadn't been returning the power back to the battery. Even fixing the cables hadn't helped, when it normally would. Bobby had told him pre-70's alternators for Mustangs were a load of shit, and if he came across another to replace it with a new one without bothering to check the wires. "If she'll let you, get a replacement alternator, do you think you could replace it yourself?"</p>
<p>Claire shrugs, "Maybe, I don't know. I'll just google it."</p>
<p>"I'll show you tomorrow, you can take a video if you need it." Claire grins brightly at him and thanks him. She gets a notification then, and Dean suspects her attention has waned so he turns to Jack. He's not sure what he was going to ask him, he hadn't figured it out yet, but he doesn't get a chance because Jack butts in.</p>
<p>"Are you trying to make my dad your boyfriend? You said you were 'on it'."</p>
<p>Castiel slaps a hand to his face and groans, and Dean bursts into laughter, a flush taking over his cheeks. </p>
<p>"He's with that Benny dude, didn't you hear dad?" Claire says, still staring at her phone. Dean wonders what on her phone is so interesting that she's barely taken her eyes off of it for a second. When he barely takes his eyes off his phone it's because he's texting Castiel, Benny or both. So… partner or crush.</p>
<p>Castiel shoots Dean a pleading look from between his fingers, and Dean decides to take pity on him. "I have many paramours, a regular Lothario."</p>
<p>Jack bursts into laughter, and thank God for both Dean and Castiel's sakes, he seems to take Dean's answer, chatting about how much he likes the bolognese. His rushed one-sided conversation about the food turns into an explanation as to why he can't eat meat - apparently he got bitten by a tick when he was younger which gave him a meat allergy. It seems extremely ridiculous, so he has to look to Castiel for confirmation, which he gets. He makes a mental note to ask Castiel more later.</p>
<p>Before he goes back to work he tells them to come by his house after lunch the next day. As Castiel and his kids are getting ready to leave, Castiel pulls Dean into the back hallway, leaving him with a kiss. Benny appears while he does this and he gets roped into a one as well.</p>
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</div>Dean has Castiel and his kids over the next day, goes through replacing the alternator with Claire three times, then lets her drive it around the block twice when he's sure she has her license and isn't going to wreck his poor Baby. After that, he plays three games of Black Ops Zombies with Jack (one for each Black Ops game he has), getting further in each game than he ever gets by himself, and further than he gets with Charlie most of the time. They challenge Claire and Castiel to beat their score, and while Claire is pretty good, Castiel is really not, and they barely make it past level ten each time they try.<p>He has to start rounding them out the door by five to start making dinner for when Sam, Eileen and the girls arrive, which he feels bad about. Castiel catches Dean's wrist in his hand as they're heading out the door and leans up to whisper in Dean's ear.</p>
<p>"Did you watch the video Benny sent last night?"</p>
<p>He had, but he's really trying to be a respectable adult who doesn't get random hard ons, so he's tried very hard not to think about it. Now though, he remembers the video of Benny with three fingers in his ass and Castiel's responding picture, his belly covered with come. He hadn't seen it the night before, he'd been completely passed out, but he'd seen it in the morning and had jerked off to it <em>twice</em>.</p>
<p>"You're a fuckin' menace," he tells Castiel, who has the gall to send Dean a toothy grin before he pulls away. "Hey, what are you doing on Thanksgiving?"</p>
<p>Castiel turns back. "Nothing, why?"</p>
<p>"I'm taking Benny to my brother's for Thanksgiving, Elizabeth is with her mom. Do you guys want to come? It can be a boyfriend-slash-lover thing or just a friend thing. I don't want you guys hanging round your mum's creepy old house all day."</p>
<p>"I don't normally observe Thanksgiving," Castiel replies, making a vague sort of hand gesture that Dean suspects he's using to imply the reason is because of its genocidal roots. </p>
<p>"Don't worry, we don't do any crazy shit, we pretty much all feel the same way. We mostly do it because Eileen has a thing about big celebrations like Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter. Her family are all in Ireland, and she doesn't really talk to them all that much. She has seven siblings, so she's used to big parties." Dean replies, shrugging his shoulders. "We mostly do it for the food and the football. And Sam likes the dog show."</p>
<p>Castiel snorts. "So you like the dog show?"</p>
<p>Claire catches Dean's eye, squatting down in the lip of the garage, staring into the box of old tapes Dean found at a garage sale and was planning to show Deanna, see if any of them were worth keeping. "If you want any of them, take them."</p>
<p>She turns back to look at him, thanks him, and brings the two in her hands over to them to show them to Castiel. "This one just says <em>mixtape</em>, it would be cool to see what the person that made this liked. And this one's Foreigner, I love Foreigner, I hope it has Urgent on it."</p>
<p>Dean chuckles, "I like that song too, next time I'll show you the vinyl I found online."</p>
<p>Claire nods before disappearing down the pathway to join her brother in the car. Dean turns back to Castiel and says, "So, Thanksgiving?"</p>
<p>Castiel shrugs. "Sure, text me time and place."</p>
<p>Dean grins broadly and fights the urge to kiss Castiel, brushing his fingers over Castiel's wrist before watching him leave. He goes back inside and starts on dinner.</p>
<p>While it's in the oven he takes a shower and gets dressed, padding into the lounge room barefoot, and finds his phone on top of the coffee table. Castiel's sent a text to the group chat with Benny and Dean, <em>I know you wanted to kiss me, Dean.</em> Dean's about to reply, something along the lines of <em>no shit sherlock</em>, but Benny's beat him to it with a <em>Everyone wants to kiss you bluebird, you have stupidly perfect lips.</em> Dean doesn't disagree with him. Castiel replied with a series of blushing emojis and Benny replied to that with an eggplant, a peach and the lips, then <em>Where the hell is Dean</em>.</p>
<p>Dean replies, <em>jerking off in the shower asshole</em>, even though he actually wasn't.</p>
<p>He takes his phone into the kitchen and checks on the pasta bake, taking off the tinfoil and sprinkling more cheese on the top before putting it back in and lowering the temperature. He shoves the two loaves of garlic bread in with it and makes Sam's stupid salad. He's cutting up tomatoes when his phone buzzes and he puts the knife down and wipes his hands to check it.</p>
<p><em>Pictures or it didn't happen.</em> Benny has replied, and before Dean can type out anything, a text from Castiel comes through. <em>Video would be preferable as evidence.</em></p>
<p><em>horny fuckers</em>, he replies, then. <em>too late, im making food, cant do it again. maybe later if you boys are good</em>.</p>
<p>Both Benny and Castiel send in the hot face emoji, then Benny, the asshole, writes <em>Yes sir!</em></p>
<p>Dean's about to reply - call them both sons of bitches, though Castiel really only is the true meaning of the phrase - but his doorbell rings and he has to leave his phone on the counter to answer it. As soon as he opens the door he's handed a small wriggling baby and an exhausted Eileen pushes past him to collapse on the couch. Sam doesn't look much better, Deanna's the only one of the four who doesn't look like she could fall asleep at any moment.</p>
<p>"She still in pain?" Dean asks, staring down at the baby in his arms, who's still wriggling, but mostly quiet, more interested in chewing on the collar of his t-shirt. Sam nods. "Go take a nap in the spare room, I'll get the girls fed and see if I can put this one down, you bring any tylenol?"</p>
<p>Sam's too tired to argue, and just lifts the baby bag off of his shoulder and onto Dean's, poking at one of the side pockets before he collects Eileen from the lounge room and takes her into the spare room. Dean takes the two girls into the kitchen and gets Deanna to hold Mary for a minute while he gets the food out of the oven, taking her back while he dishes a plate for himself and one for Deanna.</p>
<p>"Hey, we'll eat on the couch, watch a movie. Don't tell your mom and dad."</p>
<p>Deanna nods happily, racing into the lounge room and launching herself at the couch. She turns the TV on, puts on Netflix and starts typing in <em>The 100</em>. He knows this show, he's seen quite a bit of it, and he isn't sure it's something Sam would let her watch.</p>
<p>But… he is her uncle, and he thinks it's his job to let her watch things that Sam and Eileen would normally let her watch. But he most definitely won't let her watch season two, that one freaks the fuck out of even him. "If you tell your dad, just know he will kill me, so don't tell him."</p>
<p>Deanna salutes him before pressing play on the first episode of the first season.</p>
<p>It's difficult as hell to eat one handed, with a wriggling baby in his arms, but he manages most of it before giving up when Mary starts crying. He's not sure if she's in more pain than before, hungry, or uncomfortable in her diaper. He hasn't learned to recognise her cries like a parent would, so he decides to go through everything. He changes her diaper, checks with Deanna that it's been at least four hours since she last had tylenol (she tells him it was just after lunch) before diving into the bag for a bottle of sterilised water and the dispenser of formula…</p>
<p>Which is missing. Fuck. </p>
<p>"De, did you see your dad put formula in the bag?" Dean asks, scouring through the bag for the formula.</p>
<p>"I wasn't really paying attention. I can check the car?"</p>
<p>Dean nods, and Deanna disappears with the car keys to check the car. Mary's still crying, so the tylenol hasn't kicked in or she's definitely hungry (possibly both). When Deanna reappears, formula-less, Dean takes a second to decide what to do. He could wake Sam and Eileen up, find out what they want him to do, or he can go out and get it himself. He'd rather that, than wake them up, they need the sleep.</p>
<p>"If we went to the drug store could you tell me which formula Mary drinks?" Deanna thinks about it for a second before nodding. "Awesome, I'm gonna write your mom and dad a note then we'll head out." </p>
<p>He writes the note and leaves it on the kitchen counter before finding a sweater in the diaper bag for Mary. He makes sure that Deanna's got a coat on before he hands her Mary to get his own on. The walk to the drugstore is less than ten minutes, only the next street over and a few blocks up. They get the formula - and a candy bar for Deanna because she <em>insists</em> - and are back at his place in twenty minutes. He lets Deanna watch another episode while he feeds Mary, but she barely makes it past the first ten minutes before she's passed out with her head in his ribcage, under his arm. Mary isn't far behind her.</p>
<p>Without waking either girl he fishes his phone out of his pocket and mindlessly scrolls through Facebook for ten minutes before he opens up his text history with Benny and Castiel. The bastards have been <em>sexting</em>.</p>
<p>It's hard to text one-handed, and it takes a while, but he manages to type out, <em>i can't leave you alone for ten minutes</em>.</p>
<p><em>Not at all!</em> Benny replies first, followed by Castiel's, <em>We weren't doing anything!</em> with a winking emoji attached to the end. </p>
<p><em>youre always doing something. youre imps</em>. </p>
<p>Eileen appears after he's hit send, rubbing her eyes. Her face softens when she sees them, and so she doesn't wake them, she signs, "Have they been asleep for long?"</p>
<p>"About forty minutes," Dean signs in reply. "Do you feel any better?"</p>
<p>She nods her head, yawning as she disappears into the kitchen. He hears the microwave turn on, then off again, and Eileen reappears with food, climbing onto the arm chair across the coffee table from the couch that he and the girls occupy. She gazes, unfocused, at the TV as The 100 continues to play.</p>
<p>When she's finished eating he catches her attention and signs, "Is it alright if Castiel and his children come to thanksgiving?"</p>
<p>She eyes him, and Dean wonders if she's thinking about when he asked if Benny could come, and the implications she and Sam made. "How many people is that now?"</p>
<p>Dean holds up for fingers, smirking at her before he signs, "Please?"</p>
<p>Eileen rolls her eyes. "Of course, Dean, you know Sam and I cook enough to feed a small army. We would love to have them."</p>
<p>"Awesome."</p>
<p>Sam joins them after a while, and once he's eaten they take the girls home.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
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</div>Dean picks Castiel up first, because his mom's house is closer than Benny's, even if it's in the wrong direction. Claire and Jack are watching him from the window as he leans against the hood of Baby, waiting for Castiel. He waves at them and they disappear in a rush, the curtain swishing back to its place.<p>When Castiel steps outside, waving into the house before he shuts the door, Dean's mouth goes dry. He thinks very seriously about blowing off dinner and taking Castiel back to his place, getting Benny to meet him there, because no one is allowed to be this hot in public. He's wearing a black wool sweater and a red leather jacket over the top, and when Dean can't stop staring, can't say a word, Castiel laughs. The jeans he's wearing are black, and the cut isn't quite the same as the ones Dean is used to, the material tight around his legs (and his ass), and when Dean still can't speak, Castiel does.</p>
<p>"The pants I brought were in the laundry. My mom kept some of my old clothes in the basement. I'm surprised these fit. The jacket was in the box, too, haven't seen it since I was sixteen. My mom made a comment about Satan or something, I hid it so she couldn't throw it out. It was in the rafters of the attic." Castiel explains when he's standing in front of Dean. He looks nervous.</p>
<p>Dean makes sure Castiel's kids aren't in the window still before he pulls Castiel into a quick kiss. "You look awesome. C'mon, lets go get Benny."</p>
<p>Benny's waiting on the doorstep, staring at his phone, typing every now and then when Dean pulls into his driveway. He stands, still typing and climbs into the backseat without saying a word.</p>
<p>"Everything alright?" Dean asks, turning around and resting his arm over the back of the seat to look at Benny.</p>
<p>Benny nods then finishes his typing, shoving his phone into his pocket. "It was Charlie, they had an issue with a patron, told her to call Jodie."</p>
<p>"Should we stop at the bar before we go?" Castiel asks, brow furrowed.</p>
<p>Benny shakes his head. "Nah, she said she's got it covered," he replies, leaning forward to press a kiss to Dean's mouth, then one to Castiel's before tugging on his seatbelt. "Lets go, got an envie for that lamb you've been talking about."</p>
<p>Dean nods and pulls out of the driveway. The restaurant is a couple towns over, a Greek place Dean had found when he was still a teenager with the best lamb he's ever had. The parking lot is full, the place is always busy, but they manage to find a park in the back corner. Dean had called in a reservation, he'd knew he'd need to if he wanted to get a table, and when he gives his name to the hostess they're led to a table near the kitchens. Dean's been here so many times he doesn't bother looking at a menu while Benny and Castiel scour through theirs. </p>
<p>Benny looks incredibly confused, probably because most of the food names are in transliterated Greek, and some of it's just in pure Greek. Castiel seems like he sort of understands, or at least recognises the names, but he keeps frowning. Dean takes pity on them. "Do you guys need help?"</p>
<p>Benny nods and shoves the menu in Dean's direction. Dean points to the kleftiko first, and says, "That's the lamb I was telling you about," then the kotopoulo me ryzi, "That's chicken and rice, it's really good, too," then the pansetta, "And that's pork belly."</p>
<p>"I like pork belly," Benny says quietly, nodding his head like he's made up his mind.</p>
<p>Dean chuckles. "I know baby, that's why I pointed it out." He turns to Castiel then and asks, "You okay?"</p>
<p>"I only know some of this. What is kokoretsi?"</p>
<p>Dean pulls a face. He'd made the mistake of trying that once, and while it tasted pretty good, once he'd found out what it was made of he was turned off of it forever. "Uh… intestines."</p>
<p>Castiel looks curious, head tilted to the side, then shakes his head. "You pick for me, I don't mind what kind of meat."</p>
<p>Dean nods. He decides to go with one of each of the dishes he showed Benny, that way Castiel could pick between the lamb and the chicken, and Dean could have the other. </p>
<p>Not long later, a waitress approaches them with a bright smile and says, "Hey guys I'm Alba, what can I get you tonight?"</p>
<p>Dean's not really a big wine drinker, but the one thing he learnt from visiting this place at least three times a year is that Greek food tastes better with wine. He orders a bottle of Rosé, the pita and dips plate, dolmades and spanakopita and the three mains.</p>
<p>He's looking through the menu to decide if he wants anything else when the waitress, to keep the conversation up and to vie for a better tip, says, "You guys having a boys night or something?"</p>
<p>And Dean's not entirely sure why it pisses him off, though it probably has something to do with the way she's eyeballing Benny, but he stares her down and says, "No, we're on a date." She makes a noise Dean could only describe as a startled squeak when understanding dawns on her, then her mouth twists like she's tasted a lemon. Dean already doesn't like her. "Can you just add saganaki and the roasted vegetables to the order? Thanks." </p>
<p>He thinks he's a bit curt with her, but he doesn't care, except Benny and Castiel are looking at him like he just bit her head off. "What?" He asks when she's gone.</p>
<p>"Bit rude, cher." Dean doesn't say anything, because he knows Benny's right. "Have you taken your meds today?"</p>
<p>Dean reaches into his pocket for the two blister packets of his meds and shows them to Benny before he puts them back. "I was going to take them when we got back in the car. I forgot to take them at lunch." He tells Benny quietly, piling the three menus together that the waitress forgot to take with her when she left. "My body's still sorting out the new drugs. Sorry."</p>
<p>Castiel reaches out and takes Dean's hand, threading their fingers together as Benny rests his own hand on Dean's knee. "Don't be."</p>
<p>"Also," Dean says, a little louder, feeling calmer and less self-conscious with their hands on him. "I don't like that she was looking at you like a piece of meat. Only me and Cas are allowed to do that."</p>
<p>Benny laughs, then rolls his eyes.  The waitress returns with the wine and three glasses, and Benny - much nicer than Dean would have - thanks her and takes the bottle to pour their glasses himself. She stares at them for a little longer than necessary before she goes, and Dean glares at her back. He can't decide if she's confused or disgusted, and he can't decide if it's because of the whole poly thing, or if it's because they're all men.</p>
<p>Dean forgets about it when Benny leans over and places a kiss on Dean's temple. Castiel pouts out his bottom lip and Benny laughs. "Alright, you too. C'mere bluebird." Benny leans over Dean and kisses Castiel's temple. "So needy."</p>
<p>"You love it, shut up." </p>
<p>Benny decides he hates the Rosé and orders a beer when a different waiter from their first brings them their appetizers. He stares too, like she's told him, - or maybe he just knows - but he's polite enough not to do it for too long or make a face like she had.</p>
<p>"What is this?" Benny asks, staring down at the dolmades, reaching over to poke at one. </p>
<p>Castiel and Dean both laugh at him, and before Dean can speak, Castiel says, "Rice and herbs wrapped in vine leaves. They're nice, a bit sour cause they're cooked in lemon and olive oil. Try one - the one you touched."</p>
<p>Benny does, picking it up and taking a tiny bite out of the end of it, chewing carefully. His face is thoughtful as he swallows, and finally, after what feels like forever, he nods and says, "It's alright." He finishes the rest of it, then points at the saganaki. "And this one?"</p>
<p>"Saganaki," Dean supplies. "Fried cheese, usually haloumi. Try some with the hummus and pita bread."</p>
<p>Benny does, using his knife to cut a slice of the cheese, then spread the dip on a piece of pita bread. He puts it all together and takes a bite of it all, chewing slowly and swallowing. "I like that better." He eats the rest of it in one go, smiling as he chews. "And what's the last one?"</p>
<p>"Spanakopita, spinach and feta pie."</p>
<p>Benny makes a face. "Don't like spinach."</p>
<p>Dean laughs. "Two out of three is pretty good."</p>
<p>They share the appetizers until most of it is gone, and their first waitress is back with the mains. They end up sharing those too, mostly cause Benny really wanted to try the lamb, and Castiel wanted the pork belly. Dean was happy to let them take what they wanted from his plate, sneaking pieces from theirs, smiling brightly when they turn to look at him. </p>
<p>Dean's so full after they've finished that he thinks he'll either fall into a food coma or explode, and he's hanging off of Castiel's shoulder. The wine has made him warm and sleepy, and he knows there's no way he's going to be able to drive. He's just about to ask Castiel and Benny for one of them to do it when he catches the eye of someone across the room, someone who looks away as soon as Dean looks at her. She's standing with two others who are talking animatedly, and when they look over at him, not realising he's already looking at them, his eyes narrowed, they look away.</p>
<p>"Dean." Dean looks over at Benny, away from the group and gets so distracted by the cornflower blue of his eyes, gone dark under the dim light of the restaurant, that he doesn't hear what he says next. Dean really wants to kiss him.  Instead he tunes into what Benny's saying. "You're a bit out of it, cher, let's get you home."</p>
<p>Dean nods, and watches as Benny calls over a waiter to pay for their dinner. It's their first waitress, and she waits until Benny's handed her the cash before she mutters something as she's leaving. He can't hear it, but he doesn't like it, and he climbs to his feet - probably about to do something stupid like get into a fight with a waitress in the middle of a busy restaurant - but Benny and Castiel both pulling him back down.</p>
<p>"Ay, sit. We'll leave soon," Benny tells him, holding him down with a hand on his thigh. Castiel has a hand on Dean's other thigh, and instead of thinking about climbing out of their grips and throwing hands with a bitch, he thinks very hard about their fingertips leaving bruises on his flesh. Hard being the operative word. </p>
<p>Dean may be smart enough not to get into a physical altercation with the waitress, but he isn't smart enough not to shoot her both his middle fingers as they're <em>basically</em> dragging him out of the place. Castiel ends up driving, because he's the most sober out of the three of them. It's the first time he's driven Baby, so Dean sits in the front with him, just to keep an eye on him, though he knows Castiel can drive a car older than him without crashing it. He directs Castiel, but he doesn't direct him straight back to town, sending him up the mountain to the lookout.</p>
<p>"Stop here," He tells Castiel, climbing out of the car once it's rolled to a stop. </p>
<p>He used to pilfer his dad's car and come up here with Sam when he was a kid, when their dad was on one of his worse binges. Years later, when he was older, he would come up here with someone, though rarely at this time of year. </p>
<p>It's dark up here, and he can only just see the lights of the closest town in the distance, which makes it the perfect place to stare up into the sky. He used to think it was cliche, but he was dating someone once who used to say staring up at the stars was the only time they felt truly at peace, and it stuck with him. The person he was dating taught him how to recognise some of the constellations, though he gave them stupid names rather than call them Orion or Cassiopeia or Andromeda. Mostly because it took him months to get the pronunciations right (but also because it was hilarious watching their face go red when they burst into laughter). </p>
<p>The Impala's doors squeak open, and he's joined by Benny and Castiel.</p>
<p>"Cher, it's freezing out here."</p>
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</div>He makes a humming sound in the back of his throat and climbs onto Baby's hood, settling himself in the middle and leaning back against her windshield. "Just for a little bit, it's nice up here." Castiel joins him first, then Benny, and the three of them sit on the hood for what feels like hours in complete silence, staring up at the sky until Dean says, "Nipple tassels," pointing up at Orion.<p>Benny snorts unattractively, bursting into laughter, but poor Castiel looks so confused. "No, that's…  that's Orion, with his bow."</p>
<p>Dean grins over at him. "No, I promise, it's the stripper with the nipple tassels."</p>
<p>Benny's face has gone red with his laughter, barely visible in the moonlight, and Dean grins brightly. He turns back to the sky and points up at Andromeda. "Sky crab." Castiel groans deep in his chest and Benny cackles. Dean then points to Cassiopeia. "Harry Potter's lightning scar."</p>
<p>That one makes Castiel laugh too, and Dean feels pride well up in his chest. He reaches over and takes Castiel's hand in his own, threading their fingers together and  bringing it up to his lips to kiss his knuckles. He does the same with Benny's, and then he holds them in his lap.</p>
<p>After more silence, he uses the hand holding Benny's to point up to the sky, towards Cygnus. "I tried to make a joke about the Cross, but it looked too much like a bird to bother."</p>
<p>"Cygnus," Castiel supplies, nodding his head. "The swan."</p>
<p>"And honestly, Gemini just looks like two people passed out after fucking their brains out." Benny and Castiel burst into cackles, and Dean grins up into the sky, chest tight.</p>
<p>When it gets too cold outside, they get back into the car with the heater on, but they don't leave just yet, collapsed in the back seat while Dean's Kansas tape plays on the stereo. They don't have sex, they don't do anything more than kiss between the stupid stories they share; like the time Dean broke his arm as a kid falling of the top bunk of he and Sam's bunk bed, despite John telling him not to hang off the side, and the time Castiel fell of his bike and stacked it as a kid, breaking three of his baby teeth, or the time Benny tried to jump off the roof into the pool as a kid and ended up hitting his leg on the edge of the pool, snapping the bone. They don't get back into town until past midnight, and they crash in Benny's bed.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
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</div>Dean picks Benny up on his way to Sam and Eileen's on Thanksgiving. Between the two of them, they've covered the back seat with food - Dean's three pies and Benny's sweet potato casserole - and Dean just knows he'll be eating it for the next two weeks, like he had last Thanksgiving. And all the ones before that.<p>Dean parks in the driveway, leaving enough space for Castiel to get in behind him when he arrives before climbing out of the Impala. He takes two of the pies, and Benny takes the other with his casserole into the house. Sam's in the kitchen frowning down at a tray of half-cooked roasted potatoes, like it's algebra and he has no idea what it means.</p>
<p>"You good, Sammy?"</p>
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</div>Sam doesn't whine about the nickname, like he always does, instead he turns a desperate look to Dean. "I told Eileen to take a break, and I promised I'd deal with the potatoes except they're not cooking properly and she's going to <em>kill me</em> if I screw them up."<p>Dean finds room on the kitchen table to put the two pies and goes over to his brother, staring down into the tray. He laughs. "It just needs more lard, dummy." He finds the lard in the refrigerator and dumps a spoon full into the tray, using oven mitts to hold it as he swirls the lard in the tray until it's completely melted. "There, put it back in." Sam does. "Now, where are my girls? I'm not here to see you."</p>
<p>Sam rolls his eyes so hard Dean thinks his eyeballs might pop from their sockets before he turns to Benny and says, "Hey man, you good?"</p>
<p>Dean leaves them in the kitchen to find Eileen, Mary and Deanna. They're in the bathroom, Mary sitting in a rocker while Eileen tries to braid Deanna's mop of dark curls, and Dean steps inside with them, stealing Mary before the other two have noticed. Mary giggles, and Eileen catches his eye in the mirror and turns back to look at them, pins sticking out of her mouth. </p>
<p>"I'm not stealing the baby," Dean signs to her, trying to look as innocent as possible. He slides out of the room before she can reply, clutching his prize to his chest, cooing to her as he escapes to the kitchen. He settles on the window seat behind the kitchen table with her and toes off his shoes before kicking his legs up onto the seat, bending them at the knee and sitting her up against his thighs. She stares up at him with curious big brown eyes, and not for the first time, Dean is reminded of Sam as a baby. Her mouth pulls up into a gummy grin, and he tickles under her chin until she lets out a gurgled laugh. </p>
<p>The doorbell rings, and Mary's face scrunches up, like she's going to cry, so he picks her up and takes her to answer the door. Castiel is standing there, Claire and Jack behind him, and he grins brightly when he sees Dean. "Hey." Dean wants to kiss him. "C'mon in, Benny and Sam are in the kitchen, Eileen's in the bathroom with Deanna."</p>
<p>"Go take this into the kitchen, I'll be in in a second." He hands Jack a tinfoil covered dish. Jack seems happy to go, but Claire gives them a <em>look</em> before she follows him. "We are so not fooling her," Castiel tells Dean, smiling down at the baby in Dean's arms before wrapping a hand around the back of Dean's neck to pull him down for a kiss. They keep their chests apart, careful not to squish the baby between them. </p>
<p>Benny appears as they're pulling apart, obviously summoned by Claire and Jack's appearance in the kitchen, stealing his own kiss. Dean feels warm and fond and he pokes them both in the hip so they'll stop, and he won't say something stupid. Mary starts wriggling in his arms, face screwed up like she's about to cry (or do a shit, Dean can never really tell the difference), so he lifts her up against his shoulder and bounces her out of the entryway, shooting a look at Benny and Castiel that he hopes says <em>no kissing without me</em>.</p>
<p>When he gets into the kitchen, Sam has bothered Jack and Claire into helping him with the food. Claire seems more than happy to sit at the stove while the vegetables boil, and Jack is having an absolute blast with a ball of dough that Dean quite identify in its current form. Sam's hands are covered in flour, and he wipes them on a cloth once he sees Dean and realises Mary's getting fussy, taking her from Dean carefully. He lifts her up so his face is level with her belly and sniffs, before his mouth turns up into a grimace. Huh, Dean hadn't even noticed. Guess it was a shit after all.</p>
<p>Sam tries to hand her back, cause he's a shit, but Dean ducks out of the way, diving towards the fridge and pulling it open, reaching in for a beer. Sam disappears through the door leading into the back hallway and Castiel and Benny appear from the front hallway, and Dean takes out another two beers.</p>
<p>"One for Claire?" He asks carefully, taking out a fourth bottle out and waving it in the air slowly, careful not to shake it up too much. </p>
<p>Castiel shrugs his shoulders. "If she wants one she can have one, don't look at me." </p>
<p>Dean does give it to Claire when she holds her hand out for it, but he's also confused, and Castiel looks like he's about to take pity on him, but Claire beats him to it. "Dad doesn't agree with the minimum drinking age in America." She says simply, using her shirt to wrench the lid off the top, rather than use a bottle opener, and Dean frowns at her in confusion for ages. "He says that a high drinking age only serves to cause more alcohol related injuries than it was meant to prevent."</p>
<p>"Well he's not wrong," Dean replies. He's a bartender in a small town, and he was a teenager in the 90's with an alcoholic father, <em>he knows</em>.</p>
<p>"Claire knows her limits, and she knows if she goes over them, we go home and she gets dumped into bed," Castiel replies, to which Claire nods, taking the first drink of her beer. "Jack's allowed to have one drink with dinner on special occasions, but he hasn't found an alcohol he likes the taste of yet. I'm hoping it'll stay that way."</p>
<p>"Unlikely," Benny says with a chuckle, clapping Castiel on the shoulder. "Liz was the same way, we had a similar rule."</p>
<p>Castiel looks resigned and Dean chuckles at the two of them. "So glad I didn't have kids, means I get to be the cool uncle who lets them do the things their parents wouldn't normally let them do and I can hand them back when I'm done." Castiel laughs at Dean, and Benny rolls his eyes. Jack's eyes are sparkling, like he already has something planned. </p>
<p>Deanna dives into the room and falls into his arms with a screech of his name. "I bought you a present yesterday, but I'm not allowed to tell you what it is."</p>
<p>"You bought me a present?" He asks, trying not to grin stupidly. God he loves her. </p>
<p>"I did! But mom said I'm not allowed to tell people what their Christmas presents are before they've opened them."</p>
<p>"Wise advice," he agrees, nodding his head as he lets her go when she starts to wriggle out of his arms. </p>
<p>Deanna turns to Jack and Claire, and with the bright smile of a social butterfly, says, "Hi! I'm Deanna." She sticks her little hand to Jack first (because she's recently discovered handshakes and has decided to greet everyone that way), and the poor boy looks completely confused. He does eventually wipe his hand on a cloth and reach out to take Deanna's hand, letting her shake it vigorously as he introduces himself. </p>
<p>Dean looks over at Benny and Castiel, who both seem to be hiding fond laughter behind a hand or a beer bottle, and Dean feels pretty much the same. </p>
<p>When Deanna gets to Claire, she doesn't hold her hand out straight away, instead she stands in front of her, at least a foot shorter than Claire, and says, "Your hair's cool, I like David Bowie, too." She sticks her hand out then and Claire shakes it, a little taken aback. </p>
<p>"Your name's Deanna, like…?"</p>
<p>Deanna laughs and nods her head. "Uncle Dean always says that 'dad named me Deanna because he's a little shit-"</p>
<p>"Deanna! Your dad would skin me alive!" Dean cries, craning his head around the room at each door out of the kitchen to see if Sam is hanging around.</p>
<p>Deanna ignores him. "'Because he's a little shit, but the jokes on him because I'm exactly like Uncle Dean'."</p>
<p>Dean wipes a hand down his face, hiding his eyes behind his fingers. He really hopes she hasn't said that in front of Sam yet.</p>
<p>Despite the strange start and despite the age difference, Deanna and Claire get on like a house on fire. While they're setting the table they talk about the albums Dean has shown Deanna and Claire talks about the concerts she's been to. Deanna laments that Sam thinks she's too young, and Claire promises to take her when she's old enough. Jack seems happy enough to not be in the conversation, though they try to involve him anyway, even if the only things he has to say are about music Claire has shown him that he thought was alright, but he doesn't <em>love</em>. He does love Mary, on the other hand, and manages to steal her away for most of the night, playing with her while he eats. Castiel has a soft look on his face and Dean's chest is tight with fondness. </p>
<p>At one point, Jack explains that there's a new girl at school that he likes, who's hard of hearing, and so he's been teaching himself ASL, and Eileen is more than happy to let him practice with her, correcting his movements, and teaching him new signs. When she's had enough beer that she's pink-cheeked and glassy eyed, she also teaches him a bunch of swears and insults, which causes the others on the table who know them to burst into laughter. She also teaches him how to ask the girl out on a date without revealing what she's taught him, and tells him to sign it to her the minute he sees her next, promising that she'll love it. Dean's not sure what Jack thinks Eileen's taught him, but he doesn't question it. </p>
<p>Dean teaches Jack how to sign <em>son of a bitch</em>, and tries to look as innocent as possible when Castiel asks him what it means. "Uh… I mean…" Dean's had too much to drink to come up with anything good, so his head falls into Castiel's shoulder and he bursts into laughter. "Son of a bitch." It takes Castiel a second to realise that Dean isn't just swearing, he's actually telling him what he taught Jack, which only makes Dean laugh harder. </p>
<p>Dean gets sent to the kitchen to heat the pies and Benny follows after him, looking for another beer. He uncaps it and takes a swig before stepping up behind Dean, swinging an arm over his shoulder and pressing his face to the back of Dean's neck. Dean reaches up to take Benny's wrist in his hand and holds it while he stares at the pies in the oven, visible with the oven's light. He's reminded of that saying <em>a watched pot never boils</em> though his intoxicated brain can't come up with a correlation, or understand the implication. </p>
<p>Castiel appears, bringing in empty beer bottles and glasses to refill, and Dean watches him put everything down before he holds his free hand out, clenches and unclenches his fist until Castiel figures out Dean's calling him forward. Dean slides his outstretched arm around Castiel's neck as he gets closer and leans forward to press a chaste kiss to his mouth. "Thanks for coming, both of you. It's been great."</p>
<p>During pie and ice cream, Sam sets out the card games and they play a few rounds of texas hold'em, a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity (all of which Castiel absolutely destroys them all at it, and it's the funniest thing ever), then a few rounds of uno when most of the adults have had too much to drink to concentrate. Dean is having the <em>best time</em>.</p>
<p>Dean and Benny end up catching a ride home with Castiel, though when they're at Castiel's they don't actually leave. Once Castiel's made sure <em>all of them</em> - Claire and himself included - have water and preemptive painkillers in them, and water and painkillers on the bedside tables, Dean, Benny and Castiel fall into Castiel's bed. Dean's asleep before Castiel's turned off the bedside lamp.</p>
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</div>Dean wakes up first, eyes fluttering open  blearily as sun begins to filter in through the thin curtains of the bedroom. It takes Dean a few minutes to keep his eyes open longer than a few seconds, heavy with sleep and hangover. He's getting too damned old for this.<p>He, Benny and Castiel had separated from their tight cuddle pile sometime in the night, and somehow, Dean managed to make it into the middle of the bed, when he was sure Cas was there the night before. Castiel's facing away from Dean, but their legs are tangled, and the side of Benny's head is pressed into Dean's bicep, hair tickling Dean's skin. Dean pushes the duvet down carefully and rolls onto his front without disturbing the other two so he can climb out of bed. When he's finally standing in the ugly paisley rug at the foot of the bed, he stops for a minute, to make sure the other two stay asleep, before he runs to find the toilet.</p>
<p>He finds it after a moment, and pees before heading downstairs, hoping there's a coffee machine. There is, and it looks brand new, like Castiel got it when he came here, because his mother hadn't kept one. It's pretty easy to figure out, and Dean gets it working, making himself a cup and downing the contents once he's sure he won't severely burn his throat. </p>
<p>He's just made a second one when Claire stumbles and steals it out from under his nose. He laughs and finds himself another mug to make himself a new one. "You feeling alright?"</p>
<p>She waves her hand, chugging the coffee down. "Not enough coffee, talk to me after the third one."</p>
<p>Dean laughs again, shaking his head in amusement. "If that ain't me." He takes his coffee mug over to the fridge and stares inside for a moment, trying to figure out if there's anything inside he can make everyone for breakfast, something that won't take too much effort. He takes the milk and eggs then finds the flour, sugar and vanilla inside the pantry, leaving everything on the counter. </p>
<p>"Can Jack eat the eggs?" Dean thinks to ask when he remembers Jack's allergy. Claire nods her head slowly, still sipping her coffee. Dean finds a mixing bowl (after checking three cupboards) and sets it next to the ingredients. </p>
<p>Pancakes are easy, he's made them so many times he doesn't think he could get them wrong, even without measuring cups. He's spooning mixture into a frypan when Claire's finally had enough coffee to speak.</p>
<p>"So, you, Benny and my dad…" Dean was waiting for this, but he was sort of hoping he wouldn't have to be involved in the conversation. He shoots her a look and nods so she knows to continue. "Just so you know, it was pretty obvious, from the moment we got here. So, none of you are very good at keeping secrets."</p>
<p>Dean snorts, flipping a finished pancake onto the plate he set out for them, putting it in the oven, with the heat on low so it'll stay warm. "Sounds about right."</p>
<p>"I take it he told you about Fergus?" It takes Dean a second to figure out to whom Claire is referring, simply because Castiel's only referred to his ex-husband as Crowley. He nods. "I remember a lot of those years, even if dad would like to pretend that I don't. So just remember that, and just know I have a concealed carry permit."</p>
<p>Dean can't help the laughter that bursts from him. At Claire's raised eyebrow he says, "No sorry, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at the situation." He takes a deep calming breath. "I promise, that's not something that you have to worry about. From either of us. I mean, full disclosure I have Borderline Personality Disorder, but your dad knows, I'm medicated, and my anger has never been directed at a family member or friend."</p>
<p>Claire narrows her eyes at him before nodding slowly. "Okay. But if you make him feel shitty in any way I will shoot you."</p>
<p>Dean laughs again - he tries not to, he really does, but he just can't help it. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm done, I promise." He bites his lip to stop the laughter from bursting out of him again and puts another finished pancake on the plate. "I won't make him feel shitty, I promise."</p>
<p>She nods again. "So, exactly how does this work?"</p>
<p>Dean chokes a bit on his own saliva. He <em>really</em> didn't want to have <em>this</em> conversation. "Uh…"</p>
<p>"Look, I don't want specifics obviously."</p>
<p>That thought makes it a hundred times worse and Dean has to turn back to the stove to cover the extremely embarrassed flush on his cheeks. "Uh… It's just… like a normal relationship? But with three of us?" He tries to think about how he would explain it to a normal eighteen year old, one that isn't the daughter of someone he's dating. "How much do you know about polyamory and polycules."</p>
<p>"Absolutely nothing."</p>
<p>"Okay," he can do a brief introduction, without the specifics, that's easy. "So, I'm going to use you as an example; no one person can satisfy every emotional, physical and sexual need that you have, that's why you have friends and family. Some people have more romantic and sexual needs then others, which is where polycules come in. There are hundreds, thousands of different kinds, you can't do a polycule wrong. Some people have say… three partners, who also have other partners, and some of those have relationships with more people, it's kind of like a molecule, a web. Other polycules are like us, three or more people who are in one big relationship rather than two or three relationships. Does that make any sense?"</p>
<p>When Dean looks up at her she has a thoughtful look on her face and she's nodding her head. "Yeah, I think I understand."</p>
<p>"Awesome, because I don't think I can keep having this conversation with my boyfriend's teenage daughter."</p>
<p>"Boyfriend - so you're serious about it then?"</p>
<p>Dean's face gets hotter, if that were even possible. Because his automatic default is humor, he says, "As a heart attack."</p>
<p>"And Benny?"</p>
<p>Dean chews on his bottom lip and tosses another pancake onto the plate, putting the plate back in the oven. "I mean, can't really speak for him, but I'd say so, yeah."</p>
<p>Claire nods her head again. "Okay."</p>
<p>Dean looks back at her. "Okay?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, okay."</p>
<p>Dean turns to the pancakes. At least <em>that's</em> over. And it ended so much easier than he thought it would.</p>
<p>"Just remember the gun."</p>
<p>Dean laughs again. "I will." </p>
<p>Benny's the first up, making a beeline for the coffee machine and making himself a cup before he presses a kiss to his cheek. Dean gives Claire and Benny some of the pancakes that are ready and makes more for Castiel and Jack when they get up.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
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</div>That weekend, Dean gets some hours to himself and takes the time to give Baby a proper wash, rather than his usual Winter-Spit-And-Polish. The rain's been heavy the last few days, and the wind has lodged a lot of gunk in each of the Impala's small nooks and crannies. She needs some TLC and Dean would never disoblige her that.<p>He puts some music on, sets up the space heater in the corner of the garage and gets a bucket of clean water, a bottle of soap, a wash cloth, a brush for the grates, a clay bar, a few towels to dry her and a polish for the chrome. He sets everything out on the table his dad used to use for woodwork before his mom died, that he now uses as storage, before getting to work. He starts on her roof, using a step ladder to reach the other side rather than doing one half and moving to the other side before doing the other half, then works his way down. Roof, windows, hood and trunk,  and doors. Once he's done, the car soapy and smelling like cherry, he gets the brush out and goes at the grates, the headlights, the hubcaps and as much of the chassis as he can reach. He's soaked to the bone, and although it's warm in the garage, it's not warm enough, leaving him just on this side of shivering. </p>
<p>Normally he would use the hose, spray on low, but because he's inside he finds a clean bucket and fills it with water from the tap in the opposite corner of the same side of the room as the heater. He starts at the roof again, letting the water run down the Impala's sides, going back for more water three times until he's far more soaked than before, but she's clean. He pulls his wet t-shirt over his head and throws it to the ground, his pants joining it after a moment of thought, using one of the towels to dry himself. Once he's as dry as he's going to get, he takes another towel and starts drying Baby off. Every time he feels something rough on the paint he goes at it with the clay bar until it's smooth, then moves on.</p>
<p>He's leaning over the hood, stretched out onto his toes so he can reach the grate on the other side without having to go over there when he catches movement in the corner of his eye.</p>
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</div>Castiel and Benny are in the doorway, the one that leads into the house, stock still with their mouths hanging open. They don't notice him watching (both of them are looking at his ass) so he goes back to drying Baby's hood, trying to decide whether he should say something, tell them he knows they're watching, or take his fun out of it, put it on more. Eventually, he decides to pretend he hasn't seen them, trying to hide the smug grin on his face as he circles the car and leans over her hood again, this time with his back curved <em>just a little bit</em> and his ass pushed out as much as he can manage without toppling over. He chews at his lower lip as he wipes the towel over the Impala's paint, like he's concentrating before standing up when he's sure she's dry enough and running a hand through his hair.<p>He has to kneel down to dry the hubcaps, and because he's enjoying being a shit, he sits a little further away from them than he normally would so he has to lean over and plant a hand on the floor, his back arched just a bit. </p>
<p>By the time he's finished with all four hubcaps neither Benny nor Castiel has reacted yet, so he stands in front of Baby's hood, his back to the two men for just a moment, trying to think of something that will make them move. The last thing he has to do is polish the Impala's chrome, so instead of kneeling down while he does the grate, he leans over, hand planted on Baby's hood, and polishes it with a cloth.</p>
<p>He knows he's won when one of the two men makes a noise across the room - a small one he might not have noticed if he hadn't known they were there, and wasn't actively listening for them - before there are suddenly hands on him, on his waist, pulling him up and turning him around. Castiel's the one holding him, pulling him flush against his body, pulling his face forward for a hard kiss, but Benny's not far behind, one of his hands sliding down Dean's back, settling into the dip at the base of his spine.</p>
<p>"You're <em>naked</em>," Castiel says, voice rough when he pulls away to take a breath. </p>
<p>"I'm wearing briefs. I got wet."</p>
<p>A deep groan rumbles in Benny's chest, and he reaches forward to turn Dean's head so he can kiss him, licking into his mouth. "You knew we were there, you shit."</p>
<p>Dean says nothing, just turns a smug smile in his direction and lets himself be backed into the car. He left the towel over her hood, and he slides it back a bit further, bracing his hands over it, behind him. Both Castiel and Benny are looking at Dean like Dean looks at pie, like they could consume him completely, and a flare of heat races through his body, sending a shiver down his spine. Benny moves first, stepping into Dean's space and pulling his hips forward with fingers hooked into his waistband. He doesn't kiss Dean, even when Dean angles his face towards Benny's for it, just stands there, eyes trailing down Dean's body. Dean might say something about not being a piece of meat, if he could actually speak, and he <em>didn't</em> want Benny or Castiel or <em>fuck, both</em> to bend him over the hood of his Baby and fuck him until he couldn't stand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because Benny is Benny, and he either knows Dean so well and knows exactly what he wants every second of every day, or he's psychic, he says, "Will you lay over the hood for me, cher?"</p>
<p>Castiel makes a noise like he's pained, and Dean looks over at him. His cheeks are ruddy and his eyes are glassy, and his hand is wrapped around the shape of his cock in his jeans.</p>
<p>Dean smiles smugly at the two and shoots a "You know where the lube is," to Benny before he's turning around and sorting the towel out so when he lays on Baby's hood, he's laying on top of it rather than her exterior. He's just cleaned her, and he's not going to get sweat and come on her, not even for this two bastards he may or may not be stupid for.  Benny pulls away from him - opening the door with a squeak - and his body is replaced by Castiel's, leant over Dean's, hand tilting Dean's face to the side so he can kiss him. Dean can feel the shape of Castiel's cock through his jeans, against his ass, and he pushes back against it, pulling his mouth from Castiel's to pant heavily into his neck, say, "You gonna fuck me, Cas?"</p>
<p>Castiel's body goes tense, and Dean worries he's over stepped, that Castiel still isn't ready for penetrative sex, but the tautness of his body eases as quickly as it came. Castiel plasters himself against Dean, then says, "Yeah, if you want it, yeah. Me too. I mean, I want to."</p>
<p>Benny reappears to Dean's left side with the lube and Dean grins sharply at him. "Cas called dibs. If you're nice to me, and Castiel's stupidly large dick hasn't completely obliterated me, you can go next."</p>
<p>Dean finds accomplishment in the noise Castiel makes, like he's choking on his own breath, and the redness of Benny's entire face. "Well you better hurry up, or I'll change my mind, the inside of Baby still needs cleaning you know!"</p>
<p>Castiel's hands shove down Dean's briefs, letting them fall into the puddle at his feet with a <em>thwap</em>. Dean steps out of them and kicks them away, laying his body flat out against the hood of the car and grinding his ass back into the rough material of Castiel's jeans.</p>
<p>"God, Cas, please. Get your fuckin' clothes off." Castiel pulls away from Dean, the hands he had on Dean's hips replaced by Benny's, though Benny's body isn't pressed up against Dean's. Dean can feel Benny's knees on the back of his calves and realises he's kneeling. He lets out a short puff of breath, remembers the last time Benny was on his knees behind Dean, and says, "Fuck, Benny, please. Get your mouth on me."</p>
<p>Benny doesn't say a word, but his hands spread Dean's ass cheeks apart, and his nose nudges up against his skin, an inch above his hole. At the first lick Dean's entire body turns to jelly and he has to shuffle his feet and replant them on the ground so he doesn't fall. Benny's tongue laves over Dean's hole, just to get it wet, to rile Dean, before he fits a slick finger inside Dean's body. Dean squeezes his hands into fists, body wracking with a shiver. He tilts his head and seeks out Castiel, finding him standing to the side, down to his briefs, watching the two of them with his teeth sunk into his bottom lip. He's flushed from his cheeks down his belly, and Dean raches out for him. He braces himself on his elbow and pulls Castiel closer, leaning in to kiss him again, holding the man's face in his hand.</p>
<p>They kiss while Benny fingers him open, fingers strong and sure. Dean feels a bit like he's about to fall apart, and the only thing truly holding him together are the hands on his body - Benny's at his waist, Castiel's around his shoulders. </p>
<p>Benny fits a second finger inside Dean and scissors them apart, spreading Dean's body open. Benny crooks his fingers and they catch on Dean's prostate, tugging a groan from deep within Dean's chest, a groan he breathes into Castiel's mouth. Benny fingers Dean for what feels like hours, fitting a third finger inside Dean when he's stretched enough to take it.</p>
<p>Eventually, Benny says something to Dean, something in French, a phrase he recognises but he can't quite get his brain to understand. It takes a second for it finally sink in, for Dean to finally hear the words; <em>es-tu prȇt</em> - <em>are you ready</em>. He nods his head and pulls away from Castiel to crane his neck and kiss Benny as Benny carefully takes his fingers from Dean's body. The kiss is short, gentle, and once it's over Dean turns back to Castiel and gives him a brilliant smile. </p>
<p>"I've had a thought."</p>
<p>Castiel laughs. "What a feat."</p>
<p>Dean slaps Castiel's shoulder playfully, rolls his eyes and says, "Help me up onto the hood, Cas, I'm too old to do it myself."</p>
<p>A short laugh is startled out of Castiel and he lets go of Dean so Dean can turn around, facing away from the Impala with his hands planted on her hood so he can help push himself up when Benny and Castiel lift him by his hips. "Awesome, got a condom?" Dean leans back on his arms and crosses his legs at the ankles, watching as Benny leans into the car and opens up the glove box, pulling out a condom. He doesn't miss the way Castiel eyes Benny's ass as he does it, and he makes sure Castiel knows he saw by shooting him a lewd look that makes Castiel cheeks flush.</p>
<p>Benny doesn't hand the condom over - like Dean thinks both he and Castiel were expecting - rolling it onto Castiel's dick himself, kissing him as he does so. Heat pools in Dean's belly as he watches, his dick jerking against his belly, and he reaches down to wrap his hand around it, just to hold it in his palm. </p>
<p>Castiel steps up between his thighs, and Dean grins at the dark red flush on his cheeks. He leans forward and pulls Castiel into a kiss. "If either of you get any bodily fluids on my baby, that's it. I'll be withholding sex from the both of you, and you'll be cleaning her, got it?"</p>
<p>Benny bursts into laughter, but Castiel nods very seriously, like he actually thinks Dean would do something stupid like withhold sex when he's pretty sure he wouldn't make it a day. </p>
<p>Castiel takes a hold of Dean's hips and pulls him forward, lining his cock up with Dean's hole and slowly pushing in. Dean hadn't forgotten about how thick Castiel's dick was, but he's getting a reminder anyway, and it's not the most comfortable experience in the universe. He leans back on his arms and lets his head fall back so he's staring up at the concrete ceiling of the garage, and Castiel goes slow, without having to be asked, stopping every now and then to let Dean adjust. Dean takes a breath and tilts his hips up, turning his head to find Benny. Benny's standing to the left of them, in front of the hood, and reaches over to pull him in for a kiss, meeting him halfway. The distraction works, cause Dean barely notices Castiel bottoming out, hips pressed to Dean's ass, fingers digging into his hips. </p>
<p>Dean pulls away from Benny again and replants his hand behind himself, looking down his body at where he and Castiel are connected. The sight of his body stretched around Castiel's cock sends a shiver down his spine, heat pooling in his gut. "Just gimme a second." Castiel nods easily, sliding one of his hands up Dean's chest, tracing the shape of his ribs and brushing his thumb over a nipple. Dean lets out a long breath and his eyes flutter closed as he relaxes his body around Castiel's dick. "You have a stupid amount of dick, no one needs that much dick." Castiel laughs. "Go on, fuck me."</p>
<p>Castiel does, cupping his hand around Dean's thigh, under his knee to open up his legs further and sliding his cock out of Dean for a moment before thrusting back in. It shoves up against Dean's prostate and knocks the breath out of, pulling a short whine from his mouth. Castiel does it again, then again until he's picking up a rough rhythm of deep and hard thrusts that leaves stars behind Dean's eyes. When he rolls his head on his shoulder to look over at Benny the man has his shirt off and his dick out of his jeans, and he's jerking it in time with Castiel's thrusts, his eyes on where Castiel splits Dean open. </p>
<p>Dean carefully lowers himself back onto the hood, making sure he's still on the towel, and braces himself on an elbow before reaching over to take Benny's dick himself. The angle of Castiel thrusts feel more intense, laying like he is, the tip of his cock nudging up against Dean's prostate, leaving him very little brain power for Benny's cock. He uses his thumb to put pressure on the slit at the head of Benny's cock, circling his thumb over it, almost unconsciously. It gets wetter and wetter, Benny's precome dripping from his fingers, and Dean pulls his hand away long enough to lick the taste of Benny from his skin, making sure his hand is slick. He forms a circle around Benny's cock with his fist and encourages Benny to fuck into it by squeezing his fingers around it. Benny gets the idea, pulling his hips back and thrusting in again, bracing himself on the hood, over the towel next to Dean to give himself leverage. Dean watches as Benny's hand slides across Dean's ass, fingers petting at his hole and Castiel's cock, his pupils dilated.</p>
<p>"Fuck, Benny," Castiel groans. Dean can't see what he's doing and he can't feel Benny's fingers anymore, but it makes Castiel's hips stutter as he fucks up into Dean, leaving him breathless. Whatever Benny's doing to Castiel makes him come before Dean's even noticed he's close - hips thrusting in one last time before he spills into the condom, inside Dean. He hangs his head between his shoulders, his hair matted to his forehead, panting heavily, and Dean pushes himself up to kiss him. </p>
<p>Benny's hips have stopped moving, and as Castiel pulls out of Dean carefully, Dean turns to Benny and says, "Hey asshole, not that I'm not all for orgasms, but I was enjoying that, so what the fuck?"</p>
<p>Benny laughs, then gives Dean the most innocent look he can manage (which doesn't look very innocent at all) saying, "But cher, it was right there, and I <em>had</em> to touch it."</p>
<p>Dean rolls his eyes and replies, "Fuck off. What's the plan, now, smartass?"</p>
<p>Benny circles the car to the side Dean's sitting on and lifts his hips, setting his feet down on the ground. He turns to look at Castiel, eyebrow raised, and says, "C'mon, bluebird, we're gettin' to the bedroom."</p>
<p>"God, I need a nap," Castiel says, leading the way to Dean's bedroom.</p>
<p>Inside, both Dean and Castiel collapse on the bed, side-by-side while Benny opens up Dean's bedside table. When he climbs on the bed, now devoid of all his clothing, he's holding the lube and a condom. Dean and Castiel watch as he puts the condom on, then covers it in lube, before smearing more lube on his fingers. Dean opens his legs when Benny crawls closer, flinging one of them over Castiel's body, with his knee bent. Castiel grasps it in his hands, holding him open, and Dean leans over to kiss him. As they kiss, Benny's fingers slide back inside Dean, slicking him up before he pulls them out again and replaces them with his dick.</p>
<p>"Fuck," Dean groans breathlessly into Castiel's mouth, reaching down his body to grasp what little hair Benny has between his fingers. Benny's hips stutter at that, but when he catches his rhythm again he goes harder and deeper than before, so hard it pushes Dean up the bed in harsh little jerks and he has to brace his hand against the headboard so he doesn't bash his head into it. It barely takes any time before he's so close it feels like lightning is sparking through his veins, and everything that comes out of his mouth is an unintelligible moan. A hand grasps around his cock, and he's too overwhelmed to bother figuring out who's hand it is. "Fuck, I'm gonna come."</p>
<p>Castiel says something in Czech by Dean's ear, and the thumb of the hand around his cock strokes over his slit <em>madeningly</em>, and he's done. His back arches almost violently as he comes, spurting over his belly and chest, his hand clenched around the headboard so hard it hurts. Benny doesn't last much longer than Dean, the warmth of his come seeping into the condom and making Dean's gut feel heavy and hot. </p>
<p>Benny collapses on top of both Dean and Castiel, still inside Dean, panting into Castiel's neck, and it's really uncomfortable but Dean's too exhausted to care. Dean lets his eyes fall closed and doesn't realise he's actually fallen asleep until the bed is shifting underneath him. He realises that he's mostly clean, and Benny's passed out beside him, and also that Castiel's getting out of bed.</p>
<p>"Hey," he whispers, catching Castiel's attention but also careful not to wake Benny. Castiel turns around to look at him, smiling gently. "Where are you going?"</p>
<p>"Got to make sure Jack and Claire haven't burnt the house down," Castiel replies, leaning down to press a kiss to Dean's mouth. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dean."</p>
<p>"Bye, Cas."</p>
<p>"Goodbye, Dean."</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
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</div>The part for Castiel's car is waiting on Dean's work table when he gets in the next morning. He stares at it for what feels like a solid five minutes before he opens up the box and pulls the part out, setting it on the bench. He reaches for his phone in his pocket and pulls it out, sitting in the chair in front of the desk as he texts Castiel. <em>hey, the parts in your car will be ready in an hour</em>. Before Castiel replies Dean tacks on <em>can you meet me at mine after 12? ill tell benny too</em>.<p>
  <em>Yes, I'll see you in an hour."</em>
</p><p>Dean texts Benny then, a quick <em>the parts in, can you meet cas and i at my place at 12?</em> before he leaves his phone on the table and takes the part and his tools to Castiel's Continental. The intake boot is a quick fix, and with nothing else to do, his body vibrating with energy, he checks the car's fluids. </p><p>Castiel's early, forty five minutes instead of an hour, and Dean pulls him forward to kiss him, uncaring of the eyes on them.  "Bobby has the invoice in the office."</p><p>Dean watches him go, shooting a look at Aidan when he's still staring. Aidan doesn't look away, and Dean's about to tell him off when the younger man finally opens his mouth to speak. "Okay, I don't mean to be rude, but I thought you were with the guy that works at the bar with you and Josephine."</p><p>Dean laughs. "Yes, I am."</p><p>"But you kissed that guy."</p><p>"I did." </p><p>Aidan is frowning, and Dean can practically see the cogs turning in his head, brushing away the cobwebs. "Oh. <em>Oh</em>."</p><p>"There you go, now get back to work. I have to go out at 12, so you need to do the things I have to watch you for now." Aidan nods. Dean's sure he hasn't figured out the whole thing - Aidan really isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer - but what he has will do him, Dean really doesn't feel like explaining it.</p><p>He waits by the car for Castiel to finish up in the office. He kisses him again, then sends him off with a promise to see him later.</p><p>Between Castiel's departure and noon, Dean replaces a battery, changes the oil of two cars, then watches Aidan while he replaces a fan belt, and then an entire set of tires. He eats with Aidan and Bobby, and doesn't leave until Krissy arrives, to take over for him. He promises to be back as soon as possible, the leaves, climbing into the Impala and driving home. </p><p>Benny's car is waiting in the driveway, and Dean finds him making himself at home in Dean's kitchen. He's made himself a sandwich and poured himself a beer, and he's sitting at the kitchen bench, staring at the doorway as Dean comes through it. "Hey," he greets, before going back to his food.</p><p>"You alright there?" Dean replies, leaving his phone wallet and keys in the dish on the counter (on top of Benny's) and going to the refrigerator for a can of soda. He opens it and sets it on the counter without drinking any of it. </p><p>Castiel comes in through the door into the garage, which Dean had left open from him, and he's wringing his hands nervously. "Hello." Dean got his kiss in earlier, so he doesn't mind that Castiel goes for Benny first. He sits out the counter next to Benny and leaves his keys in the bowl with Dean and Benny's. None of them say anything for a while, Benny's chewing the only sound in the room until Castiel blurts, "I don't want to stop this."</p><p>Dean leans over the counter with his elbows planted in the granite and says, "I don't either."</p><p>Benny nods his own agreement.</p><p>"But I have to go home." Both Dean and Benny nod their heads in understanding. "Can we try… do you think we could make long-distance work?"</p><p>"Yeah, Cas," Dean replies, though he's not really sure <em>how</em>. And how long for. But he doesn't say that, cause he really <em>does</em> want it to work. "Facetiming and visits."</p><p>"We can come up from Dean's birthday in January. You'll show us around the place, right, bluebird?" Benny looks a little less unsure than Dean and Castiel, and Dean's actually glad one of them isn't about to have a mental breakdown. </p><p>Castiel smiles. "Yes, I'd like that."</p><p>"Can we just… lie down for a bit?" Dean says, heading towards the bedroom before they can reply, before he can see their faces. He's feeling overwhelmed, and possibly freaking out enough to lash out, and he recognises that he needs the comfort of his bed, their arms around him. </p><p>Inside his bedroom he leaves his dirty clothes on the floor and climbs into bed. It's seconds before he's joined by Castiel and Benny - Castiel curled around Dean's side with his arm flung over Dean's belly, Benny around Castiel's back with his arm flung over them both. </p><p>"I feel like I want to say something, but I don't know what it is yet."</p><p>Benny shushes him, tracing his fingers along the shape of Dean's ribs. It's calming, and Dean can feel his heartbeat begin to slow to a normal rate - though he hadn't known it was beating faster. He lets his eyes fall closed.</p><p>"Feeling better?" Castiel asks in a whisper after what feels like hours. Dean nods his head, though he doesn't open his eyes. "Good."</p><p>He feels Castiel's body shift, away from Dean for a second and then he's leaning over him to press his mouth to Dean's. Dean reaches his hand up and threads his fingers in the hair at the base of Castiel's skull, pulling him in tighter, licking into his mouth. He tugs Castiel's body on top of him and reaches out to grab Benny's hip and pull him closer, until he gets the idea and plasters himself into their sides. </p><p>Dean had promised Bobby he would be back as soon as possible, but for all Bobby knew, that could be five minutes from now, or an hour from now. </p><p>Dean and Castiel part, and with the hand in Castiel's hair, Dean guides him towards Benny, watching them as they kiss. He reaches over with his free hand and traces the shape of their lips together with his thumb until it gets sucked into Benny's mouth.</p><p>Benny and Castiel get down to their briefs, their clothes scattered around the room, and Dean takes the opportunity to wriggle his fingers down and inside to take them both in his hands. They gasp into each other's mouths and he feels them both harden further in his hands. Their mouths part, and Benny catches Dean's in a kiss while Castiel kisses down his throat. They're thrusting their cocks into his fists - Castiel slowly and Benny forcefully - and he squeezes so they both groan.</p>
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</div>He gets them off like that, with his hands down their boxers, and as he's licking their come from his fingers they both climb down the bed towards his cock, sucking him off together until he comes. They collapse back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and panting breaths, covered in come and slick with sweat.<p>They're silent for so long that Dean isn't expecting it when Castiel speaks. "New Years, after Christmas, before school starts back up, I'll be back then."</p><p>Dean grins brightly, and Benny catches Castiel's mouth in a kiss. "Yeah, Cas, that's perfect." Dean says, kissing Castiel himself when Benny pulls away. "How much longer can you stay?"</p><p>"I have to leave tonight," Castiel replies frowning. "They want me back at work on Wednesday now that the car's fixed."</p><p>Dean swears. A four state car trip in thirty-six hours. "Your boss sounds like an asshole."</p><p>Castiel rolls his eyes, and makes a face that Dean interprets as <em>you have no idea</em>. "I only just managed to get out of coming back without my car."</p><p>"And here? With us right now? Before you have to go back and get ready to leave?"</p><p>Castiel hums. "An hour or two maybe."</p><p>They stay in bed, talking and sharing brief kisses before Castiel has to leave to pack the rest of his things in the car and Benny has to go open the roadhouse for the dinner shift. Castiel leaves with Benny's henley and one of Dean's coats on instead of his own clothes, and Dean's  not ashamed to say that when they're both gone he shoves his nose in the hoodie Castiel left with him, eyes stinging.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Warning for NSFW Fanart &amp; Written Content.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
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</div>Dean's still panting from his orgasm, collapsed on top of Benny and grinning stupidly at Castiel on his laptop, whose belly is covered in his own come when Castiel says, "Hey, I finally got a job offer this morning, for September."<p>"You did?" Dean asks, pulling Benny's soft dick from inside him, and leaning up on his elbows. After Castiel had gotten back from Seraph, he'd had a conversation with the university's dean that left him angry and desperate to leave. He'd sent his CV out to other universities looking for someone in the Paleontology department, including an open teaching job at Idaho State, which was four hours away, a job as the head of the research department at the University of Montana, which was two and a half hours away and a teaching position at Montana State, <em>half an hour away</em>. Castiel really wanted the job in Missoula as research department head, but both Dean and Benny had been hoping he'd get the job in Bozeman. They'd talked about what would happen - what they wanted to happen with the possibility of each job, and they'd made decisions that they hadn't told Castiel yet, waiting until he'd gotten confirmation. "Well, don't keep us hanging."</p>
<p>Castiel rolls his eyes and wipes at the come on his belly with a rag. "It's in Montana."</p>
<p>Dean groans when he realises that Castiel is going to drag this out as much as he possibly can, because he's an asshole. "Fuck, Cas, there were two in Montana." </p>
<p>"You're right, there were."</p>
<p>Benny groans. "C'mon cher, before I get old and gray."</p>
<p>Castiel laughs and disappears from the camera's view for a moment, coming back with a pair of briefs on and a can of soda, taking a sip. It occurs to Dean that he wouldn't be pulling their legs as much as he is unless it was something he knew they were going to be happy with. "You got the job at Montana State didn't you, you asshole?"</p>
<p>Castiel's mouth breaks into a broad grin, like he can't hold onto it any longer, and he nods his head vigorously. "Yeah, I did, they called me this morning, emailed me everything. It's a thirty percent pay rise, I'd be assistant head of the department and I can drive in from town every morning."</p>
<p>"Congratulations Cas, you deserve it," Benny says, when Dean can't seem to make his mouth work. "Dean and I discussed."</p>
<p>"Move in, here, both of you." Dean blurts.</p>
<p>Benny rolls his eyes. "That is not what we discussed, ignore him, his brain is still in his dick. Back to what I was saying, Dean did suggest that we move in with him, but I reminded him that you might be worried about Jack." Castiel nods. "So we thought if you got the one at Montana State I could move in with Dean, and you could take my place, and then we could review it when Jack went off to college. If you wanted to move in with us then. Or earlier, if that's what you want."</p>
<p>Dean nods his head. "What he said."</p>
<p>Castiel's still nodding, face thoughtful, and Dean's worried he's going to say no, except when he finally does speak, he says, "Probably earlier." </p>
<p>They're all grinning so stupidly wide, and Dean wishes he could kiss Castiel more than he's wished for anything most of his life. </p>
<p>"I miss you both."</p>
<p>Dean chest clenches. "We miss you, too."</p>
<p>"I'll probably get there by mid August, I'll give you guys a date when I know it. Tomorrow I have to put my papers in and tell the dean to go fuck himself."</p>
<p>Dean bursts into laughter, and Benny says, "Please record it if you do," which just makes Dean laugh harder.</p>
<p>Castiel smiles through a yawn, and Dean stops laughing to say, "Go to bed, baby, we can talk in the morning."</p>
<p>Castiel nods, and as he's reaching forward to end the call he says, "I love you both."</p>
<p>Dean smacks Benny's shoulder, eyes wide, and says, "Did you - did he just say that?" Benny nods, his eyes just as wide as Dean's and Dean reaches over for his phone on the bedside table. He types out a text message into their group chat and hits send without hesitation.</p>
<p>
  <em>we love you too asshole, thanks for ending the call before we could say it back</em>
</p>
<p>Castiel's reply comes barely a second later, the blushing emoji. When he shows Benny, the man is blushing, too, and Dean's chest feels tight with emotion. Because he's feeling sentimental, and he rarely feels sentimental, he takes a picture of Dean and Benny, but mostly the empty space on Benny's other side. When he titles it <em>soon</em> and hits send, he's flushed too.</p>
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